Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.3.38
शूद्रा: प्रतिग्रहीष्यन्ति तपोवेषोपजीविन: ।
धर्मं वक्ष्यन्त्यधर्मज्ञा अधिरुह्योत्तमासनम् ॥ ३८ ॥
śūdrāḥ pratigrahīṣyanti
[shoodraah pratigraheeshyanti]
tapo-veṣopajīvinaḥ
[tapo-veshopajeevinah]
dharmaṁ vakṣyanty adharma-jñā
[dharmam vakshyanty adharma-jnaa]
adhiruhyottamāsanam
[adhiruhyottamaasanam]
Word-for-word
śūdrāḥ
—
lowly, common workers
pratigrahīṣyanti
—
will accept religious charity
tapaḥ
—
by shows of austerity
veṣa
—
and by dressing as mendicants
upajīvinaḥ
—
earning their living
dharmam
—
the principles of religion
vakṣyanti
—
will speak about
adharma-jñāḥ
—
those who know nothing about religion
adhiruhya
—
mounting
uttama-āsanam
—
a high seat.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śūdrāḥ pratigrahīṣyanti
śūdrāḥ
lowly, common workers
pratigrahīṣyanti
will accept religious charity
tapo-veṣopajīvinaḥ
tapaḥ
by shows of austerity
veṣa
and by dressing as mendicants
upajīvinaḥ
earning their living
dharmaṁ vakṣyanty adharma-jñā
dharmam
the principles of religion
vakṣyanti
will speak about
adharma-jñāḥ
those who know nothing about religion
adhiruhyottamāsanam
adhiruhya
mounting
uttama-āsanam
a high seat.
Uncultured men will accept charity on behalf of the Lord and will earn their livelihood by making a show of austerity and wearing a mendicant’s dress. Those who know nothing about religion will mount a high seat and presume to speak on religious principles.
Purport
The epidemic of bogus gurus, swamis, priests and so forth is explicitly described here.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Śūdras will accept charity and will earn their livelihood by making a show of austerity and wearing a mendicant's dress. Those who know nothing about religion will mount a high seat and presume to speak on religious principles.
Personal Guidance
Cheats accept charity 'on behalf of God' and pose in saintly costumes; ignoramuses lecture on religion. The reader's protection: develop discrimination, study śāstra personally, and seek genuine sādhus rather than performers.
Reflection Questions
- How do I currently discern an authentic teacher from a performer?
- What one criterion could I strengthen?
My note
Source: vedabase.io