FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.15.14

యస్త్విచ్ఛయా కృత: పుమ్భిరాభాసో హ్యాశ్రమాత్పృథక్ । స్వభావవిహితో ధర్మ: కస్య నేష్ట: ప్రశాన్తయే ॥ ౧౪ ॥
yas tv icchayā kṛtaḥ pumbhir
[yas tv ichchayaa kritah pumbhir]
ābhāso hy āśramāt pṛthak
[aabhaaso hy aashramaat prithak]
sva-bhāva-vihito dharmaḥ
[sva-bhaava-vihito dharmah]
kasya neṣṭaḥ praśāntaye
[kasya neshtah prashaantaye]
yaḥ — that which tu — indeed icchayā — whimsically kṛtaḥ — conducted pumbhiḥ — by persons ābhāsaḥ — dim reflection hi — indeed āśramāt — from one’s own order of life pṛthak — different sva-bhāva — according to one’s own nature vihitaḥ — regulated dharmaḥ — religious principle kasya — in what respect na — not iṣṭaḥ — capable praśāntaye — for relieving all kinds of distress.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yas tv icchayā kṛtaḥ pumbhir
yaḥ
that which
tu
indeed
icchayā
whimsically
kṛtaḥ
conducted
pumbhiḥ
by persons
ābhāso hy āśramāt pṛthak
ābhāsaḥ
dim reflection
sva-bhāva-vihito dharmaḥ
hi
indeed
kasya neṣṭaḥ praśāntaye
āśramāt
from one’s own order of life
pṛthak
different
sva-bhāva
according to one’s own nature
vihitaḥ
regulated
dharmaḥ
religious principle
kasya
in what respect
na
not
iṣṭaḥ
capable
praśāntaye
for relieving all kinds of distress.
A pretentious religious system manufactured by one who willfully neglects the prescribed duties of his order of life is called ābhāsa [a dim reflection or false similarity]. But if one performs the prescribed duties for his particular āśrama or varṇa, why are they not sufficient to mitigate all material distresses?

It is indicated here that everyone should strictly follow the principles of varṇa and āśrama as given in the śāstra. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (3.8.9) it is said:

varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

One should focus upon the destination for progress, which is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is the aim and end of all varṇas and āśramas. However, if Viṣṇu is not worshiped, the followers of the varṇāśrama institution manufacture some concocted God. Thus it has now become fashionable for any rascal or fool to be elected God, and there are many missionaries who have concocted their own gods, giving up their relationship with the real God. In Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly said that one who worships the demigods has lost his intelligence. Nonetheless we find that even an illiterate person who has lost all intelligence is elected God, and although he has a temple, it has meat-eating sannyāsīs, and many polluted activities go on there. This type of religious system, which misguides its poor followers, is strictly forbidden. Such pretentious religions should be stopped altogether.

The original system is that a brāhmaṇa should actually become a brāhmaṇa; he should not only take birth in a brāhmaṇa family, but must also be qualified. Also, even if one is not born in a brāhmaṇa family but has brahminical qualifications, he must be considered a brāhmaṇa. By strictly following this system, one can be happy without extra endeavor. Sva-bhāva-vihito dharmaḥ kasya neṣṭaḥ praśāntaye . The real aim of life is to mitigate distress, and one can do this very easily by following the principles of śāstra.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Ābhāsa refers to concocting devatā worship different from what is recommended in one’s āśramas. Can dharma performed according to one’s nature not produce relief from distress? Ābhāsa is creating some form of devatā worship by one’s imagination. Cannot dharma performed according to one’s nature, not just on birth, bring relief from distress?
📝 My note

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