Shloka 4
Aditi’s Lament and Kaśyapa’s Instruction of the Payo-vrata (Milk Vow) to Please Keśava
अप्यभद्रं न विप्राणां भद्रे लोकेऽधुनागतम् । न धर्मस्य न लोकस्य मृत्योश्छन्दानुवर्तिन: ॥ ४ ॥
apy abhadraṁ na viprāṇāṁ bhadre loke ’dhunāgatam na dharmasya na lokasya mṛtyoś chandānuvartinaḥ
హే భద్రే, మరణచ్ఛందానికి లోబడిన ధర్మం, బ్రాహ్మణులు మరియు సామాన్య ప్రజల విషయంలో ఇప్పుడు ఏదైనా అమంగళం జరిగిందా?
There are prescribed duties for all the inhabitants of this material world, especially for the brāhmaṇas but also for the people in general, who are subject to the whims of death. Kaśyapa Muni wondered whether the regulative principles, which are meant for the well-being of everyone, had been disobeyed. He accordingly continued his inquiries for seven verses.
FAQs
This verse warns that when people act according to the ‘whim of death’—without regard for dharma or the welfare of others—both righteousness and society are harmed, leading to widespread inauspiciousness.
Seeing Aditi disturbed, Kashyapa probes the possible root cause: when brāhmaṇas (guardians of dharma and spiritual culture) are afflicted or neglected, it signals a broader collapse of dharma affecting the whole world.
Align decisions with dharma—truthfulness, self-control, compassion, and responsibility—rather than impulsive, destructive habits; support genuine spiritual learning and ethical leadership so society remains protected from moral decline.