FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.26.23

ये त्विह वै वृषलीपतयो नष्टशौचाचारनियमास्त्यक्तलज्जा: पशुचर्यां चरन्ति ते चापि प्रेत्य पूयविण्मूत्रश्लेष्ममलापूर्णार्णवे निपतन्ति तदेवातिबीभत्सितमश्नन्ति ॥ २३ ॥
ye tv iha vai vṛṣalī-patayo naṣṭa-śaucācāra-niyamās tyakta-lajjāḥ paśu-caryāṁ caranti te cāpi pretya pūya-viṇ-mūtra-śleṣma-malā-pūrṇārṇave nipatanti tad evātibībhatsitam aśnanti.
[ye tv iha vai vrishalee-patayo nashta-shauchaachaara-niyamaas tyakta-lajjaah pashu-charyaam charanti te chaapi pretya pooya-vin-mootra-shleshma-malaa-poornaarnave nipatanti tad evaatibeebhatsitam ashnanti.]
ye — persons who tu — but iha — in this life vai — indeed vṛṣalī-patayaḥ — the husbands of the śūdra women naṣṭa — lost śauca-ācāra-niyamāḥ — whose cleanliness, good behavior and regulated life tyakta-lajjāḥ — without shame paśu-caryām — the behavior of animals caranti — they execute te — they ca — also api — indeed pretya — dying pūya — of pus viṭ — stool mūtra — urine śleṣma — mucus malā — saliva pūrṇa — full arṇave — in an ocean nipatanti — fall tat — that eva — only atibībhatsitam — extremely disgusting aśnanti — they eat.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ye tv iha vai vṛṣalī-patayo naṣṭa-śaucācāra-niyamās tyakta-lajjāḥ paśu-caryāṁ caranti te cāpi pretya pūya-viṇ-mūtra-śleṣma-malā-pūrṇārṇave nipatanti tad evātibībhatsitam aśnanti.
ye
persons who
tu
but
iha
in this life
vai
indeed
vṛṣalī-patayaḥ
the husbands of the śūdra women
naṣṭa
lost
śauca-ācāra-niyamāḥ
whose cleanliness, good behavior and regulated life
tyakta-lajjāḥ
without shame
paśu-caryām
the behavior of animals
caranti
they execute
te
they
ca
also
api
indeed
pretya
dying
pūya
of pus
viṭ
stool
mūtra
urine
śleṣma
mucus
malā
saliva
pūrṇa
full
arṇave
in an ocean
nipatanti
fall
tat
that
eva
only
atibībhatsitam
extremely disgusting
aśnanti
they eat.
The shameless husbands of lowborn śūdra women live exactly like animals, and therefore they have no good behavior, cleanliness or regulated life. After death, such persons are thrown into the hell called Pūyoda, where they are put into an ocean filled with pus, stool, urine, mucus, saliva and similar things. Śūdras who could not improve themselves fall into that ocean and are forced to eat those disgusting things.

Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung,

karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, kevala viṣera bāṇḍa, amṛta baliyā yebā khāya nānā yoni sadā phire, kadarya bhakṣaṇa kare, tāra janma adaḥ-pate yāya

He says that persons following the paths of karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa (fruitive activities and speculative thinking) are missing the opportunities for human birth and gliding down into the cycle of birth and death. Thus there is always the chance that he may be put into the Pūyoda Naraka, the hell named Pūyoda, where one is forced to eat stool, urine, pus, mucus, saliva and other abominable things. It is significant that this verse is spoken especially about śūdras. If one is born a śūdra, he must continually return to the ocean of Pūyoda to eat horrible things. Thus even a born śūdra is expected to become a brāhmaṇa; that is the meaning of human life. Everyone should improve himself. Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.13) , cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: “According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, four divisions of human society were created by Me.” Even if one is by qualification a śūdra, he must try to improve his position and become a brāhmaṇa. No one should try to check a person, no matter what his present position is, from coming to the platform of a brāhmaṇa or a Vaiṣṇava. Actually, one must come to the platform of a Vaiṣṇava. Then he automatically becomes a brāhmaṇa. This can be done only if the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spread, for we are trying to elevate everyone to the platform of Vaiṣṇava. As Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (18.66) , sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: “Abandon all other duties and simply surrender unto Me.” One must give up the occupational duties of a śūdra, kṣatriya or vaiśya and adopt the occupational duties of a Vaiṣṇava, which include the activities of a brāhmaṇa. Kṛṣṇa explains this in Bhagavad-gītā (9.32) :

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye ’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim

“O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth — women, vaiśyas [merchants], as well as śūdras [workers] — can approach the supreme destination.” Human life is specifically meant for going back home, back to Godhead. That facility should be given to everyone, whether one be a śūdra, a vaiśya, a woman or a kṣatriya. This is the purpose of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. However, if one is satisfied to remain a śūdra, he must suffer as described in this verse: tad evātibībhatsitam aśnanti.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The husbands of lowborn women, living like animals, with no good behavior, cleanliness or regulated life, after death are thrown into a fearful ocean of pus, stool, urine, mucus, and saliva, which they eat. A description of the river Pūyoda is given.
Living in unregulated indulgence, with no cleanliness or discipline, lands one in Pūyoda — an ocean of foul substances. The chaos we live in is the same substance we eventually drown in. Order matters spiritually, not just aesthetically.
Reflection Questions
  • Where has my lack of basic discipline started to thicken into an environment I would not want to drown in?
  • What one habit of order could I install today that would reduce future foulness?
📝 My note

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