SB 4.19.24 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

एवमिन्द्रे हरत्यश्वं वैन्ययज्ञजिघांसया । तद्गृहीतविसृष्टेषु पाखण्डेषु मतिर्नृणाम् ॥ २४ ॥ धर्म इत्युपधर्मेषु नग्नरक्तपटादिषु । प्रायेण सज्जते भ्रान्त्या पेशलेषु च वाग्मिषु ॥ २५ ॥

Verse text

evam indre haraty aśvaṁ vainya-yajṣa-jighāṁsayā tad-gṛhīta-visṛṣṭeṣu pākhaṇḍeṣu matir nṛṇām dharma ity upadharmeṣu nagna-rakta-paṭādiṣu prāyeṇa sajjate bhrāntyā peśaleṣu ca vāgmiṣu

Synonyms

evam — thus ; indre — when the King of heaven ; harati — stole ; aśvam — the horse ; vainya — of the son of King Vena ; yajṣa — the sacrifice ; jighāṁsayā — with a desire to stop ; tat — by him ; gṛhīta — accepted ; visṛṣṭeṣu — abandoned ; pākhaṇḍeṣu — towards the sinful dress ; matiḥ — attraction ; nṛṇām — of the people in general ; dharmaḥ — system of religion ; iti — thus ; upadharmeṣu — towards false religious systems ; nagna — naked ; rakta — paṭa — red-robed ; ādiṣu — etc. ; prāyeṇa — generally ; sajjate — is attracted ; bhrāntyā — foolishly ; peśaleṣu — expert ; ca — and ; vāgmiṣu — eloquent .

Translation

In this way King Indra, in order to steal the horse from King Pṛthu’s sacrifice, adopted several orders of sannyāsa. Some sannyāsīs go naked, and sometimes they wear red garments and pass under the name of kāpālika. These are simply symbolic representations of their sinful activities. These so-called sannyāsīs are very much appreciated by sinful men because they are all godless atheists and very expert in putting forward arguments and reasons to support their case. We must know, however, that they are only passing as adherents of religion and are not so in fact. Unfortunately, bewildered persons accept them as religious, and being attracted to them, they spoil their life.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

When Indra stole the horse with a desire to stop the sacrifice of Pṛthu, people’s minds became attracted to those disguises of heretics which he assumed and rejected, thinking by mistake that these resemblances to dharma, in the form of going naked, wearing red cloth and speaking skillfully, were real dharma. The foolish became attracted to the clothing which Indra accepted and later rejected. “Naked persons” refers to the Jains. “Wearing red cloth” refers to the Buddhists. Ādīṣu (etc.) refers to followers of Śiva who carry a skull and other as well. Upadharma means resembling dharma, but not dharma. They speak with instantly charming words (peśaleṣu vāgmiṣu), skilful at logic.

Purport

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, men in this Age of Kali are short-lived, devoid of spiritual knowledge, and susceptible to accept false religious systems due to their unfortunate condition. Thus they always remain mentally disturbed. The Vedic śāstras practically prohibit the adoption of sannyāsa in the Age of Kali because less intelligent men may accept the sannyāsa order for cheating purposes. Actually the only religion is the religion of surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We must serve the Lord in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All other systems of sannyāsa and religion are actually not bona fide. In this age they are simply passing for religious systems. This is most regrettable.