212
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 7, Ch. 15]
PURPORT
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 .
TEXT 15
धर्मार्थमपि नेहेत यात्रार्थं वाधनो धनम् ।
अनीहानीहमानस्य महाहेरिव वृत्तिदा ॥१५॥