28
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 5, Ch. 1]
instead of reaching Viṣṇu, people are bewildered by the external manifestation of the material energy. Therefore progress in material advancement is blind, and the leaders of such material advancement are also blind. They are leading their followers in the wrong way.
It is best, therefore, to accept the injunctions of the  Vedas , which are mentioned in this verse as  yad-vāci . In accordance with those injunctions, everyone should find out whether he is a  brāhmaṇa ,  kṣatriya ,  vaiśya  or  śūdra  and should thus be educated accordingly. Then his life will be successful. Otherwise, all of human society will be confused. If human society is divided scientifically according to  varṇa  and  āśrama , and if the Vedic directions are followed, one's life, regardless of his position, will be successful. It is not that  brāhmaṇas  will be elevated to the transcendental platform but not the  śūdras . If the Vedic injunctions are followed, all of them— brāhmaṇas ,  kṣatriyas ,  vaiśyas  and  śūdras —will be elevated to the transcendental platform, and their lives will be successful. The injunctions in the  Vedas  are explicit directions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The example cited in this verse is that bulls tied by ropes in their nostrils move according to the direction of the driver. Similarly, if we move according to the instructions of the  Vedas , the perfect paths for our lives will be set. Otherwise, if we do not move in that way but act according to our whimsical ideas, our lives will be spoiled by confusion and will end in despair. Actually, because people at the present moment are not following the instructions of the  Vedas , they are all confused. We must therefore accept this instruction by Lord Brahmā to Priyavrata as the factual scientific direction leading to the success of life. This is also confirmed in  Bhagavad-gītā  (16.23):
yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsrjya 
    vartate kāma-kārataḥ 
    na sa siddhim avāpnoti 
    na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim
If we do not live according to the injunctions of the  śāstras , the  Vedas , we shall never achieve success in life, to say nothing of happiness or elevation to higher statuses of living.