Text 41] Punishment and Reward of Kali 923

athaitani na seveta
bubhusuh purusah kvacit
visesato dharma-silo
raja loka-patir guruh

atha—therefore; etdni—all these; na—never; seveta— come in contact;
bubhiisuh—those who desire well-being; purusah—person; kvacit—in any
circumstances; visesatah— specifically; dharma-silah—those who are on the
progressive path of liberation; raja—the king; loka-patih—public leader;
guruh—the brahmanas and the sannyasis.

TRANSLATION

Therefore whoever desires progressive well-being, especially kings,
religionists, public leaders, brahmanas and sannyasis, should never come in
contact with the four above-mentioned irreligious principles.

PURPORT

The brahmana is the religious preceptor for all other castes, and the
sannyasis are the spiritual masters for all the castes and orders of
society. So also are the king and the public leaders who are responsible for
the material welfare of all people. The progressive religionists and those
who are responsible human beings or those who do not want to spoil their
valuable human lives should refrain from all the principles of irreligiosity,
especially from illicit connection with women. If a brahmana is not truth-
ful, all his claims as a brahmana at once become null and void. If a sannyasi
is illicitly connected with women, all his claims as a sannyasi at once
become false. Similarly, if the king and the public leader are unnecessarily
proud or habituated to drinking and smoking, certainly they become
disqualified to discharge public welfare activities. Truthfulness is the basic
principle for all religions. The four leaders of the human society,
namely the sannyasi, the brahmana, the king and the public leader, must
be tested crucially by their character and qualification. Before one can be
accepted as a spiritual or material master of society, he must be tested by
the above-mentioned criteria of character. Such public leaders may be
less qualified in academic qualifications, but it is necessary primarily that
they are free from the contamination of the four disqualifications, namely
gambling, drinking, prostitution and animal slaughter.
