Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 25
Yayāti, Devayānī, Śarmiṣṭhā, and the Exchange of Youth: The Unsatisfied Nature of Desire
दुर्मना भगवान् काव्य: पौरोहित्यं विगर्हयन् । स्तुवन् वृत्तिं च कापोतीं दुहित्रा स ययौ पुरात् ॥ २५ ॥
durmanā bhagavān kāvyaḥ paurohityaṁ vigarhayan stuvan vṛttiṁ ca kāpotīṁ duhitrā sa yayau purāt
ഇത് കേട്ടപ്പോൾ ഭഗവാൻ കാവ്യൻ (ശുക്രാചാര്യൻ) അത്യന്തം വിഷണ്ണനായി. പുരോഹിതവൃത്തി നിന്ദിക്കുകയും, ഉഞ്ചവൃത്തി (വയലുകളിൽ ശേഷിക്കുന്ന ധാന്യം ശേഖരിച്ചു ജീവിക്കൽ) പുകഴ്ത്തുകയും ചെയ്ത്, മകളോടൊപ്പം വീട്ടുവിട്ടു പുറപ്പെട്ടു.
When a brāhmaṇa adopts the profession of a kapota, or pigeon, he lives by collecting grains from the field. This is called uñcha-vṛtti. A brāhmaṇa who takes to this uñcha-vṛtti profession is called first class because he depends completely on the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and does not beg from anyone. Although the profession of begging is allowed for a brāhmaṇa or sannyāsī, one does better if he can avoid such a profession and completely depend on the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead for maintenance. Śukrācārya was certainly very sorry that because of his daughter’s complaint he had to go to his disciple to beg some mercy, which he was obliged to do because he had accepted the profession of priesthood. In his heart, Śukrācārya did not like his profession, but since he had accepted it, he was obliged to go unwillingly to his disciple to settle the grievance submitted by his daughter.
FAQs
Because he felt displeased and viewed paid priestly service as spiritually compromising; he praised a simple, content livelihood (like a dove’s) and therefore chose to leave.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating this episode to Mahārāja Parīkṣit.
Maintain integrity and simplicity in one’s means of living, avoiding work that pressures one to compromise principles for gain.