Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 8
Nimi Questions the Yogendras: Varṇāśrama’s Purpose, Ritualism’s Fall, and Yuga-Avatāras with Kali-yuga Saṅkīrtana
वदन्ति तेऽन्योन्यमुपासितस्त्रियो गृहेषु मैथुन्यपरेषु चाशिष: । यजन्त्यसृष्टान्नविधानदक्षिणं वृत्त्यै परं घ्नन्ति पशूनतद्विद: ॥ ८ ॥
vadanti te ’nyonyam upāsita-striyo gṛheṣu maithunya-pareṣu cāśiṣaḥ yajanty asṛṣṭānna-vidhāna-dakṣiṇaṁ vṛttyai paraṁ ghnanti paśūn atad-vidaḥ
彼らは主の礼拝を捨て、実際には妻を拝むかのようになり、家は性欲のために捧げられる。そうした物質主義の家長たちは互いにその気まぐれな振る舞いを勧め合う。祭祀を身体維持の手段としか見ず、食の施しも布施もない不正な儀礼を行い、結果を知らぬまま山羊などの動物を残酷に屠る。
False pride is certainly not complete without sex indulgence. Thus, lusty materialistic householders are not attracted to worshiping saintly persons, but rather worship their wives as a source of constant sex pleasure. The mentality of such condemned persons is described by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (16.13):
FAQs
This verse criticizes people who, not knowing the truth, perform rituals for livelihood and sense pleasure and even justify animal killing as “supreme,” showing it to be a misunderstanding of dharma.
Narada is describing the degradation of religious practice—how household-centered sense enjoyment and profit-motivated ritual replace genuine spiritual understanding—so Vasudeva can grasp the need for pure devotion.
Examine spiritual practice for motive: avoid using religion for social approval, money, or indulgence, and align worship with compassion, purity, and sincere devotion to the Supreme.