# Cc. Madhya 22.26 ## Text > cāri varṇāśramī yadi kṛṣṇa nāhi bhaje > svakarma karite se raurave paḍi' maje ## Synonyms *cāri* *varṇa*-*āśramī*—followers of the four social and spiritual orders of life; *yadi*—if; *kṛṣṇa*—Lord Kṛṣṇa; *nāhi*—not; *bhaje*—serve; *sva*-*karma* *karite*—performing his duty in life; *se*—that person; *raurave*—in a hellish condition; *paḍi'*—falling down; *maje*—becomes immersed. ## Translation **"The followers of the varṇāśrama institution accept the regulative principles of the four social orders [brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra] and four spiritual orders [brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa]. However, if one carries out the regulative principles of these orders but does not render transcendental service to Kṛṣṇa, he falls into the hellish condition of material life.** ## Purport One may be a *brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya* or *śūdra,* or one may perfectly follow the spiritual principles of *brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha* and *sannyāsa,* but ultimately one falls down into a hellish condition unless one becomes a devotee. Without developing one's dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one cannot be factually elevated. The regulative principles of *varṇāśrama-dharma* in themselves are insufficient for attainment of the highest perfection. That is confirmed in the following two quotations from *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* (11.5.2-3).