न यस्य जन्मकर्मभ्यां न वर्णाश्रमजातिभि: । सज्जतेऽस्मिन्नहंभावो देहे वै स हरे: प्रिय: ॥ ५१ ॥
na yasya janma-karmabhyāṁ na varṇāśrama-jātibhiḥ sajjate ’sminn ahaṁ-bhāvo dehe vai sa hareḥ priyaḥ
- na
- there is not
- yasya
- of whom
- janma
- by good birth
- karmabhyām
- or meritorious acts
- na
- not
- varṇa-āśrama
- by adherence to rules of occupational or religious duty
- jātibhiḥ
- or by belonging to a certain class of society
- sajjate
- attaches itself
- asmin
- in this (body)
- aham-bhāvaḥ
- egotistic sentiment
- dehe
- in the body
- vai
- indeed
- saḥ
- he
- hareḥ
- to Lord Hari
- priyaḥ
- is dear
Birth in an aristocratic family and the execution of austere and pious activities certainly cause one to take pride in himself. Similarly, if one enjoys a prestigious position within society because his parents are highly respected members of the varṇāśrama social system, one becomes even more infatuated with himself. But if despite these excellent material qualifications one does not feel even a tinge of pride within himself, he is to be considered the dearmost servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.