Text 146] The Lord Instructs Srila Rapa Gosvami 325

TRANSLATION

“Although the living entities known as human beings are very small in
quantity, that division may be still further subdivided, for there are many un-
cultured human beings like mlecchas, pulindas, bauddhas and Sabaras.

TEXT 146

CANADA BS Cae ACY? TCA |
Canfafas Aim BCA, 44 af atce 1 seu tl

veda-nistha-madhye ardheka veda ‘mukhe’ mane
veda-nisiddha papa kare, dharma nahi gane

SYNONYMS

veda-nistha-madhye—among persons who are followers of the Vedas;
ardheka—almost half; veda—Vedic scriptures; mukhe —in the mouth; mane —ac-
cept; veda-nisiddha—forbidden in the Vedas; papa—sins; kare—perform;
dharma—teligious principles; nahi—not; gane—count.

TRANSLATION

“Among human beings, those who are followers of the Vedic principles are
considered civilized. Among these, almost half simply give lip service while
committing all kinds of sinful activities against these principles. Such people
do not care for the regulative principles.

PURPORT

The word veda means “knowledge.” Supreme knowledge consists of under-
standing the Supreme Personality of Godhead and our relationship with Him and
acting according to that relationship. Action in accordance with the Vedic prin-
ciples is called religion. Religion means following the orders of the Supreme Per-
sonality of Godhead. The Vedic principles are the injunctions given by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Aryans are civilized human beings who have
been following the Vedic principles since time immemorial. No one can trace out
the history of the Vedic principles set forth so that man might understand the
Supreme Being. Literature or knowledge that seeks the Supreme Being can be ac-
cepted as a bona fide religious system, but there are many different types of
religious systems according to the place, the disciples and the people's capacity to
understand.

The highest type of religious system is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.6)
thus: sa vai purhsdm paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje. The highest form of
