samÄna-karmÄcaraṇaá¹
patitÄnÄá¹ na pÄtakam
autpattiko guṇaḥ saṅgo
na Å›ayÄnaḥ pataty adhaḥ
samÄna - equal; karma - of work; Äcaraṇam - the performance; patitÄnÄm - for those who are fallen; na - is not; pÄtakam - a cause of falldown; autpattikaḥ - dictated by one's nature; guṇaḥ - becomes a good quality; saá¹…gaḥ - material association; na - does not; Å›ayÄnaḥ - one who is lying down; patati - fall; adhaḥ - further down.
The Lord here further describes the ambiguity in ascertaining material piety and sin. Although intimate association with women is most abominable for a renounced sannyÄsÄ«, the same association is pious for a householder, who is ordered by Vedic injunction to approach his wife at the suitable time for procreation. Similarly, a brÄhmaṇa who drinks liquor is considered to be committing a most abominable act, whereas a śūdra, a low-class man, who can moderate his drinking is considered to be self-controlled. Piety and sin on the material level are thus relative considerations. Any member of society, however, who receives dÄ«ká¹£Ä, initiation into the chanting of the Lord’s holy names, must strictly obey the four regulative principles: no eating of meat, fish or eggs, no illicit sex, no intoxication and no gambling. A spiritually initiated person neglecting these principles will certainly fall from his elevated position of liberation.