FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.6.9

यस्य किलानुचरितमुपाकर्ण्य कोङ्कवेङ्ककुटकानां राजार्हन्नामोपशिक्ष्य कलावधर्म उत्कृष्यमाणे भवितव्येन विमोहित: स्वधर्मपथमकुतोभयमपहाय कुपथपाखण्डमसमञ्जसं निजमनीषया मन्द: सम्प्रवर्तयिष्यते ॥ ९ ॥
yasya kilānucaritam upākarṇya koṅka-veṅka-kuṭakānāṁ rājārhan-nāmopaśikṣya kalāv adharma utkṛṣyamāṇe bhavitavyena vimohitaḥ sva-dharma-patham akuto-bhayam apahāya kupatha-pākhaṇḍam asamañjasaṁ nija-manīṣayā mandaḥ sampravartayiṣyate.
[yasya kilaanucharitam upaakarnya konka-venka-kutakaanaam raajaarhan-naamopashikshya kalaav adharma utkrishyamaane bhavitavyena vimohitah sva-dharma-patham akuto-bhayam apahaaya kupatha-paakhandam asamanjasam nija-maneeshayaa mandah sampravartayishyate.]
Word-for-word
yasya — of whom (Lord Ṛṣabhadeva) kila anucaritam — pastimes as a paramahaṁsa, above all regulative varṇāśrama principles upākarṇya — hearing koṅka-veṅka-kuṭakānām — of Koṅka, Veṅka and Kuṭaka rājā — the King arhat-nāma — whose name was Arhat (now known as the Jain) upaśikṣya — imitating the activities of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva in His paramahaṁsa feature kalau — in this Age of Kali adharme utkṛṣyamāṇe — because of increasing irreligious life bhavitavyena — by that which was about to happen vimohitaḥ — bewildered sva-dharma-patham — the path of religion akutaḥ-bhayam — which is free from all kinds of fearful danger apahāya — giving up (such practices as cleanliness, truthfulness, control of the senses and mind, simplicity, the principles of religion, and practical application of knowledge) ku-patha-pākhaṇḍam — the wrong path of atheism asamañjasam — improper or against the Vedic literature nija-manīṣayā — by his own fertile brain mandaḥ — most foolish sampravartayiṣyate — will introduce.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yasya kilānucaritam upākarṇya koṅka-veṅka-kuṭakānāṁ rājārhan-nāmopaśikṣya kalāv adharma utkṛṣyamāṇe bhavitavyena vimohitaḥ sva-dharma-patham akuto-bhayam apahāya kupatha-pākhaṇḍam asamañjasaṁ nija-manīṣayā mandaḥ sampravartayiṣyate.
yasya
of whom (Lord Ṛṣabhadeva)
kila anucaritam
pastimes as a paramahaṁsa, above all regulative varṇāśrama principles
upākarṇya
hearing
koṅka-veṅka-kuṭakānām
of Koṅka, Veṅka and Kuṭaka
rājā
the King
arhat-nāma
whose name was Arhat (now known as the Jain)
upaśikṣya
imitating the activities of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva in His paramahaṁsa feature
kalau
in this Age of Kali
adharme utkṛṣyamāṇe
because of increasing irreligious life
bhavitavyena
by that which was about to happen
vimohitaḥ
bewildered
sva-dharma-patham
the path of religion
akutaḥ-bhayam
which is free from all kinds of fearful danger
apahāya
giving up (such practices as cleanliness, truthfulness, control of the senses and mind, simplicity, the principles of religion, and practical application of knowledge)
ku-patha-pākhaṇḍam
the wrong path of atheism
asamañjasam
improper or against the Vedic literature
nija-manīṣayā
by his own fertile brain
mandaḥ
most foolish
sampravartayiṣyate
will introduce.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued speaking to Mahārāja Parīkṣit: My dear King, the King of Koṅka, Veṅka and Kuṭaka whose name was Arhat, heard of the activities of Ṛṣabhadeva and, imitating Ṛṣabhadeva’s principles, introduced a new system of religion. Taking advantage of Kali-yuga, the age of sinful activity, King Arhat, being bewildered, gave up the Vedic principles, which are free from risk, and concocted a new system of religion opposed to the Vedas. That was the beginning of the Jain dharma. Many other so-called religions followed this atheistic system.
Purport

When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet, a person named Pauṇḍraka imitated the four-handed Nārāyaṇa and declared himself the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He desired to compete with Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, during the time of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, the King of Koṅka and Veṅka acted like a paramahaṁsa and imitated Lord Ṛṣabhadeva. He introduced a system of religion and took advantage of the fallen condition of the people in this Age of Kali. It is said in Vedic literatures that people in this age will be more inclined to accept anyone as the Supreme Lord and accept any religious system opposed to Vedic principles. The people in this age are described as mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. Generally they have no spiritual culture, and therefore they are very fallen. Due to this, they will accept any religious system. Due to their misfortune. they forget the Vedic principles. Following non-Vedic principles in this age, they think themselves the Supreme Lord and thus spread the cult of atheism all over the world.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
King Arhat of Koṇka, Veṅka and Kuṭaka regions, hearing about the activities of Ṛṣabhadeva, would become bewildered when adharma increased in Kali-yuga by the results of bad karma. Foolishly giving up his path of dharma which destroys all dangers, by his own mind he propagated a deviant path which rejected the scriptures. The jīvas of Kali-yuga, looking in the external world, will get benefit by hearing and chanting the pastimes of Ṛṣabhadeva, but not by imitating his behavior. Because the jīvas in Kali-yuga are incapable of looking inward, they become fallen by becoming fixed in Ṛṣabhadeva’s external conduct alone. The person called Arhat will be born in the future. Hearing of Ṛṣabhadeva through local scriptures, he thought he would also become similar by imitating Ṛṣabhadeva’s activities. He learned about his activities in detail (upaśīkṣya). When adharma would increase in Kali-yuga because of what would inevitably happen as a result of bad karma (bhāvitavyena), Arhat became bewildered.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Imitation of an advanced devotee, without understanding, breeds dangerous new religions. Outward mimicry of paramahaṁsa behavior by an unqualified person leads many off the genuine path. Don't confuse copying with following.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose outward style are you imitating without truly inhabiting their inner state?
  • Where could authentic following replace clever mimicry in your spiritual life?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 6