Without obeying the instruction of the śāstra, he has fallen down. Although he was born in the brāhmaṇa family and educated nicely, but on account of bad association he fell down from the standard of human ideal life. Therefore he is punishable. Not only he; every one of us. The human form of life is specially meant for going back to home, back to Godhead. The animal life. . . By progressive evolution they come to the human form of life, and when one is. . . the living entity is on the platform of human form of life, he has got his responsibility.
Therefore śāstra says,
- nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke
- kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujām ye
- tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet
- sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyam anantam
- (SB 5.5.1)
This is the responsibility of human life. This human life is not meant for working day and night like the dogs and hogs for sense gratification. At the present moment it is going on all over the world: simply for sense gratification they are working so hard. From hundred miles they are going to the working place, hanging on the Delhi passenger train. Sometimes there is accident. These things are going on, very hard labor like the asses. So this is also another punishment. The more punishment is awaiting, yama-daṇḍa, at the court of Yamarāja. Not only they are suffering here, but they will be taken to the Yamarāja. And there, according to his work, abominable work, he will be punished. Therefore the Yamadūtas said, tata enaṁ daṇḍa-pāṇeḥ sakāśaṁ kṛta-kilbiṣaṁ neṣyāmaḥ. "Now it is our duty." Just like police force, they are engaged to arrest the criminals and take him to the court or to the police officer for necessary action, so these Yamadūtas, they have given sufficient reason that "This man has committed sinful life; therefore he is punishable."
So the fact is, this is nature's law. Nature's law is that if the human being does not follow the injunction of the śāstra and he acts whimsically, independently, then he becomes punishable, exactly in the state laws, if you violate the laws. . . You are not independent. If you violate the laws, you'll be punished. Similarly, dharma means the laws of God. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). So if you violate the laws of God, the principles of dharma, then you will be punished. What is that principle of dharma? This Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We have manufactured so many different types of religious faith, but they are man-manufactured. They are not laws. And now it is being supported by many so-called swāmīs that "You can manufacture your own religion. It doesn't matter. Whatever nonsense type of religion you follow, you get the same result." This is going on. But that is not the fact. Dharma is that only one. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. To surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is real dharma. And what of others? They are cheating. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). Kaitava means cheating. Cheating type of religion is rejected.