1280 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 27
dvau—two kinds; imau—these; anusocanti—they lament; balau—ignorant;
asat—the foolish; avagrahau—taking the path of; yat—that which; loka—by
custom; sastra—by scripture; upanatam—presented ; na—never; rati—follows;
na—neither; tat—that; icchati—desires.
TRANSLATION

One who does not give charity according to the customs or injunctions
of the scriptures and one who does not accept charity in that way are
considered to be in the mode of ignorance. Such persons follow the path
of the foolish. Surely they must lament at the end.

PURPORT
It is herein stated that one should strictly follow the scriptures if one
actually wants an auspicious life. The same is explained in Bhagavad-gita.
yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya
vartate kama-karatah
na sa siddhim avapnoti
na sukham na param gatim
‘But he who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own
whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme desti-
nation.” (Bg. 16.23)

One who does not strictly follow the terms of the Vedic injunctions
never attains success in life or happiness. And what to speak of going
home, back to Godhead.

One Sastric injunction holds that a householder, a ksatriya, or an adminis-
trative head should not refuse to accept a woman if she voluntarily requests
to become a wife. Since Kalakany4, the daughter of Time, was deputed
by Narada Muni to offer herself to Yavana-raja, the King of the Yavanas
could not refuse her. All transactions must be performed in light of the
sastric injunctions. The é4stric injunctions are confirmed by great sages
like Narada Muni. As stated by Narottama dasa Thakura: sédhu-sastra-
guru-vdkya, cittete kariya aikya. One should follow the principles of
saintly persons, scriptures and the spiritual master. In this way one is
sure to attain success in life. Kalakanya, the daughter of Time, presented
herself before the King of the Yavanas precisely in terms of sadhu, sastra
and guru. Thus there was no reason for not accepting her.
