Lord Kṛṣṇa's Description of the Varṇāśrama System

Uddhava said: O lotus-eyed Lord! Previously you described dharma of bhakti arising in followers of varṇāśrama and even ordinary human beings. Now you should explain to me how all human beings can achieve mixed or secondary bhakti for you by the execution of their prescribed duties.

In the Seventeenth Chapter, Kṛṣṇa, requested by Uddhava, explains to him about karma mixed with bhakti as described by Haṁsa, and the duties of brahmacārīs and householders. Having heard jñāna, bhakti and aṣṭāḍga-yoga from Kṛṣṇa, Uddhava will ask about karma-yoga while reviewing what was previously explained, in seven verses. Previously, at the beginning of the kalpa, you said:

kālena naṣṭā pralaye vāṇīyaṁ veda-saṁjñitā

mayādau brahmaṇe proktā dharmo yasyāṁ mad-ātmakaḥ

By the influence of time, the Vedic knowledge was lost at the time of annihilation. Therefore, when the subsequent creation took place, I spoke to Brahmā the Vedic knowledge in which bhakti is the essence. SB 11.14.3

That dharma of bhakti has three types: pure bhakti, mixed bhakti and secondary bhakti. Pure bhakti arises in humans without or without varṇāśrama by association with pure devotees, by good fortune. It does not arise from varṇāśrama or other processes. You have said:

yaṁ na yogena sāḍkhyena dāna-vrata-tapo-’dhvaraiḥ

vyākhyā-svādhyāya-sannyāsaiḥ prāpnuyād yatnavān api

I cannot be attained by intense efforts of yoga, Sāḍkhya, charity, vows, austerity, sacrifices, explaining the Vedas, study of the Vedas, or sannyāsa. SB 11.12.9

When persons practicing varṇāśrama contact pure bhakti by devotional association, they give up varṇāśrama and perform the dharma of bhakti.

ājñāyaivaṁ guṇān doṣān mayādiṣṭān api svakān

dharmān santyajya yaḥ sarvān māṁ bhajeta sa tu sattamaḥ

A person who, understanding good and bad aspects of dharma as taught by me, gives up all his duties and simply worships me is the best of all. SB 11.1.1132

Mixed bhakti and secondary bhakti arise from one’s dharma and from association with persons with mixed bhakti or secondary bhakti. How mixed and secondary bhakti arises, you alone know. Bhaktiḥ in verse 2 refers to mixed and secondary bhakti.

O Lord! O mighty-armed one! Previously in your form of Haṁsa you spoke to Brahmā about dharma that brings supreme happiness to the practitioner. O Mādhava! O subduer of the enemy! Now much time has passed, and that which you previously instructed will soon practically cease to exist.

“Have I not explained dharma to you previously?” Paramakam dharmam means the supreme dharma having the happiness of liberation (kam). As Haṁsa, you spoke not only about yoga, but also about sva-dharma to Brahmā:

mayaitad uktaṁ vo viprā guhyaṁ yat sāḍkhya-yogayoḥ

jānīta māgataṁ yajñaṁ yuṣmad-dharma-vivakṣayā

O brāhmaṇas! Know that it is I, Viṣṇu, who has come with a desire to teach you dharma. I have spoken the confidential knowledge of Sāḍkhya, and aṣṭāḍga-yoga. SB 11.13.38

Though you taught this previously, it will not be present in the future.

O Acyuta! There is no speaker, creator and protector of dharma other than you, either on the earth or even in the assembly of Lord Brahmā, where the personified Vedas reside. O Madhusūdana! When you, who are the very creator, protector and speaker of spiritual knowledge, abandon the earth, who will again speak this lost knowledge?

Kalā means the eighteen types of knowledge in the Vedas.

ṛg-yajuḥ-sāmārthavākhyā vedāś catvāra eva ca |

purāṇa-nyāya-mīmāṁsā-dharma-śāstrāṇi cety api ||

śikṣā kalpo vyākaraṇaṁ niruktaṁ jyotiṣaṁ tathā |

chandaś ceti ṣaò ity evaṁ vidyāḥ proktāś caturdaśa ||

āyur dhanur gānārthaiś ca śāstrair aṣṭadaśāpi tāḥ ||

The eighteen scriptures are the Ṛg, Yajus, Sāma and Arthava Vedas, the Purāṇas, sciptures on logic, Mīmāṁsā, dharma-śāstras, śikṣā (pronunciation), kalpa (rules for ritual), grammar, etyiomology, astronomy, meter, medicine, military arts, music and politics.

Explain how dharma should be executed which shows or is a cause of (mixed) bhakti (tvad-bhakti-lakṣaṇaḥ).

Dharmyaḥ means “faithful to dharma.” Tam refers to dharma.

Hear about the time at which varṇāśrama arose.

I am the object of the mind (dharmaḥ). I have four legs (vṛṣa-rūpa-dhṛk). This means there are no activities like sacrifice.

In the universal form, from the prāṇa, coming from the heart, arose the three Vedas. From the three Vedas arose the three aspects of sacrifice in relation to the hotā, adhvaryu and udgatā priests.

The four orders, after being created, became manifest (jātāḥ). They were recognized by the qualities of their specific duties (ātmācāra).

The heart is below the chest.

The natures, low or high, appeared according to low or high place of birth on the body of the universal form. Thus the face and head, being the highest place on the body, produced the highest natures of brāhmaṇas and sannyāsīs. Since the feet and loins are the lowest portion of the body, they produced natures of śūdras and gṛhāsthas.

The bhakti or devotion in the brāhmaṇa is secondary bhakti.

One should also understand there are natural qualities for the āśramas, though they not stated here. The qualities of persons outside the varṇas are now stated. Anyāvasāyinām means “of those who are outside varṇāśrama.”

Though it says that these are the common rules for all varṇas, it also means that those outside the varṇas should follow these rules.

With the intention of describing the duties of the householder, by which the duties of the varṇas are naturally revealed, Kṛṣṇa first describes the first āśrama in nine verses. The second-born belong to the three upper varṇas. After grabhādhāna--saṁskāra and then physical birth (ānupūrvyāt), one attains Gāyatrī mantra through the upanaya-saṁskāra. One then studies the Vedas, being called by the guru. The word ca indicates the student should also deliberate on the meaning.

He wears a belt and carries kuśa grass. He wears a string of beads. His hair is matted because he does not use oil. He does not wash his teeth or clothing. He should not have a painted seat for show.

He should not intentionally expel his semen. If it happens by chance, he should bathe and then do prāṇāyāma and chant the Gāyatrī mantra.

He should perform worship at sunrise and sunset chanting silently. This implies that he can chant loudly during the noon sandhyā.

He should offer what he received by begging or any other method. He should eat food when permitted by the ācārya.

He should follow behind the guru when the guru goes. When the guru sleeps he should lie down nearby while remaining alert. When the guru sits, he should remain in front of him with folded hands waiting for his order.

Having described the duties of a brahmacārī who takes up household life, Kṛṣṇa describes the duties of the life-long brahmacārī in six verses. If he desires to go to Brahma-loka, the planet of the Vedas, he should remain a brahmacārī for life and offer his body to the guru for additional study of the Vedas. Viṣṭapa like piṣṭapa means “world.”

The student has power or effulgence from study of the Vedas (brahma-varcasvī).

Agṛhasthaḥ means a brahmacārs, vānaprastha or sannyāsī. Agrataḥ means “from the beginning.” He should avoid living beings like birds or insects engaged in sex life.

O Uddhava! Cleanliness, ācamana, bathing, performing sandhyā rites, worshiping me, visiting holy places, chanting japa, avoiding that which is untouchable, uneatable or not to be discussed, remembering my existence within all living entities, and controlling the mind, words and body—these principles should be followed by all āśramas.

The process of becoming free of karma by the celibate brāhmaṇa is described.

The graduation from studies of the brahmacārī who will become a householder is described. Desiring to enter household life (āvekṣyan), and having sufficiently deliberated on the meaning of the Vedas, he should bathe. This means he should anoint his body with oil, etc. and then return home.

One enters an āśrama according to one’s qualification. If he has desires he becomes a householder. If he has no desire by having purified his heart, he becomes a vānaprastha. If he is a brāhmaṇa, and is without desire, he becomes a sannyāsī. If some desire to do so, they may go through all āśramas. After brahmacārī life one becomes a householder, then vānaprastha and finally a sannyāsī. One should not enter the āśramas in a reverse order, and one should not be without āśrama, unless one is my devotee. If one is a devotee, then one does not have to follow the rules of āśrama. This will be explained later. If the devotee enters āśramas in a different order, or has no āśrama, there is no fault.

Speaking of the rules for the householder, rules of varṇa are discussed. If he desires to marry a second woman, he should do so after the first marriage and they may be of lower caste.

tisro varṇānupūrvyeṇa dve tathaikā yathā-kramam |

brāhmaṇa-kṣatriya-viśām bhāryāḥ svāh śūdra-janmanaḥ ||

The brāhmaṇa can marry women of four castes. The kṣatriya can marry women of three castes. The vaiśya can marry women of two castes. The śūdra can marry a woman of only one caste. Yājñavalkya-smṛti 1.57

The three upper varṇas must sponsor sacrifice, study the Vedas and give charity. But only the bṛāhmaṇa performs sacrifice, teaches the Vedas and receives charity.

If he considers performing sacrifice and teaching to be faulty, then he lives by collecting grains which have fallen in the field and are rejected by the owner.

“Why does the brāhmaṇa undergo such pain?” This verse answers. His body is meant for difficulties caused by maintaining his body, to attain happiness after death.

Uñcha means collecting grains which fall in the market. Śila is collecting grains from the field. Satisfied with these occupations, he attains liberation. He should engage in (juṣānaḥ) receiving guests (mahāntam) and be without desires (virajam). Remaining in the household āśrama, he attains liberation.

The result of serving with devotion brāhmaṇas by giving wealth is described. The Lord saves not only persons who save brāhmaṇas who are devotees, but also saves those who save any devotee.

The actions of the kṣatriyas are described. Dhīraḥ here means a king who has determination.

Occupations during calamity are described in three verses. He may engage in selling, but not selling liquor or salt or other forbidden items. In times of danger he takes up the duties of a kṣatriya. It is said that Gautama took up a sinful occupation when in danger. One may think that taking up kṣatriya duties would be superior to vaiśyas duties, but according to the Lord, vaiśya occupation is superior to the kṣatriya occupation for the brāhmaṇa because there is violence in kṣatriya duties. One should not maintain oneself by serving low persons.

He may teach others the Vedas as a brāhmaṇa does.

All these people, when free of difficulties, must revert to their original occupation.

Occupations during calamity were described. Now the obligatory actions of the householder are described. One worships the sages by study of the Vedas, the Pitṛs by offerings with svadhā, the devatās by offerings with svāhā, all beings by an offering, and humans by giving food and water, according to one’s wealth. One should see them as the Lord.

This verse describes optional duties.

Four verses describe the life of a householder who is a jñānī, unattached to his duties. Being unattached, he should not be inattentive to hearing and remembering the Lord. He should see that his family is perishable. He sees that future birth in heaven is as temporary as present life. He gives up desire for both.

Association with family is like a meeting of travelers. Sons and other objects of affection are destroyed with every new body we take, just as, after sleeping, the objects of a dream perish. The example is used to show temporary nature of relationships, not show that the world is false, or it is used to show that the world is false like a dream because possessiveness is false.

Muktaḥ simply means “unattached.”

The householder desiring jñāna can choose his āśrama. A devotee, leaving his family members, may also choose another āśrama, to attain an opportunity for bhakti.

The faults of attachment to the house are described in three verses.

Bondage is shown by a dramatic depiction. I have a baby one month old. Without me, the baby cannot survive, being attacked by enemies. I have children two years old. Without me, without a protector, how can they live?

Thus ends the commentary on the Seventeenth Chapter of the Eleventh Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.