Verse 3.9.136

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 3.9.136:

বেদ-শাস্ত্রে মহাজন-পথ সে লওযায তাহা ছাডি’ অবোধে সে অন্য পথে যায ॥ ১৩৬ ॥

वेद-शास्त्रे महाजन-पथ से लओयाय ताहा छाडि’ अबोधे से अन्य पथे याय ॥ १३६ ॥

veda-śāstre mahājana-patha se laoyāya tāhā chāḍi’ abodhe se anya pathe yāya || 136 ||

veda-sastre mahajana-patha se laoyaya taha chadi’ abodhe se anya pathe yaya (136)

English translation:

(136) “The Vedic literature teaches one to accept the path of the mahājanas. Fools give up that path to accept another.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

In the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (15.35) the following statement from the

Chāndogya-pariśiṣṭa is quoted:

sa hovāca yājñavalkyas tat pumān ātma-hitaye premṇā hariṃ bhajet.

“Yājñavalkya explained that for one’s own benefit one should lovingly worship Lord Hari.”

In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (2.2.33-34) it is stated:

na hy ato ‘nyaḥśivaḥ panthā viśataḥ saṃsṛtāv iha vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogo yato bhavet

bhagavān brahma kārtsnyena trir anvīkṣya manīṣayātad adhyavasyat kūṭa-stho ratir ātman yato bhavet

“For those who are wandering in the material universe, there is no more auspicious means of deliverance than what is aimed at in the direct devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The great personality Brahmā, with great attention and concentration of the mind, studied the Vedas three times, and after scrutinizingly examining them, he ascertained that attraction for the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the highest perfection of religion.”

In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (4.18.4-5) it is stated:

tān ātiṣṭhati yaḥ samyag upāyān pūrva-darśitān

avaraḥśraddhayopeta upeyān vindate ‘ñjasā

tān anādṛtya yo ‘vidvān arthān ārabhate svayam tasya vyabhicaranty arthā ārabdhāś ca punaḥ punaḥ

“One who follows the principles and instructions enjoined by the great sages of the past can utilize these instructions for practical purposes.

Such a person can very easily enjoy life and pleasures. A foolish person who manufactures his own ways and means through mental speculation and does not recognize the authority of the sages who lay down unimpeachable directions is simply unsuccessful again and again in his attempts.”