Text 34]
Mahārāja Parīkṣit Cursed by a Brahmaṇa Boy
967
they gave importance to birthright without culture. The downfall of the  brāhmaṇa  caste began in the age of Kali. And since  brāhmaṇas  are the heads of the social order, all other orders of society also began to deteriorate. This beginning of brahminical deterioration was highly deplored by the father of Śṛṅgi, as we will find.
TEXT 34
ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रबन्धुर्हि गृहपालो निरूपितः । स कथं तद्गृहे द्वाःस्थः सभाण्डं भोक्तुमर्हति ॥३४॥
brāhmaṇaiḥ kṣatra-bandhur hi grha-pālo nirūpitaḥ sa katham tad-grhe dvāḥsthaḥ sa-bhāṇḍam bhoktum arhati
brāhmaṇaiḥ —by the brahminical order;  kṣatra-bandhuḥ —the sons of the  kṣatriyas ;  hi —certainly;  grha-pālaḥ —the watchdog;  nirūpitaḥ —designated;  saḥ —he;  katham —on what grounds;  tat-grhe —in the home of him (the master);  dvāḥsthaḥ —keeping at the door;  sa-bhāṇḍam —in the same pot;  bhoktum —to eat;  arhati —deserves.
TRANSLATION
The descendants of the kingly orders are definitely designated as watchdogs, and they must keep themselves at the door. On what grounds can dogs enter the house and claim to dine with the master on the same plate?
PURPORT
The inexperienced  brāhmaṇa  boy certainly knew that the King asked for water from his father and the father did not respond. He tried to explain away his father's inhospitality in an impertinent manner befitting an uncultured boy. He was not at all sorry for the King's not being well received. On the contrary, he justified the wrong act in a way characteristic of the  brāhmaṇas  of Kali-yuga. He compared the King to a watchdog, and so it was wrong for the King to enter the home of a  brāhmaṇa  and ask for water from the same pot. The dog is certainly reared by its master, but that does not mean that the dog shall claim to dine and drink from the same pot. This mentality of false prestige is the cause of the downfall of the