The Perfect Society: Four Social Classes

In ten chapters, the pure inclinations arising from devotion to the Lord1 have been described. In five chapters the excellence of varṇāśrama for material sustenance is now explained. In the eleventh chapter Nārada describes the duties of the normal varṇas such as brāhmaṇas, and also the duties of women and mixed varṇas.

Having explained great mercy as the cause of inclination to bhakti without mixture of the guṇas, in five chapters Nārada now explains niṣkāma-karma-yoga as the cause of inclinations for bhakti which is mixed with the guṇas. Īhitaṁ sādhu-sabhā-sabhājitaṁ means “actions respected in the assembly of devotees.” Mahattamāgraṇyaḥ means “Prahlāda, the chief of the great devotees.”

Sanātanam means “that which remains after the result is achieved.” It refers to bhakti-yoga which is not given up after achieving prema. I also want to hear about varṇāśrama-dharma.

“Why don’t you ask other sages dedicates to the principles of smṛti scriptures?” You are dedicated to Nārāyaṇa.

Ajāya means “unto Kṛṣṇa.”

The Lord is certainly the cause and the proof (mūlam) of dharma, since he is the essence of the Vedas. This means that without devotion to the Lord, dharmas cannot succeed. He is also the smṛti scriptures (other than the Vedas) for those who know that Lord Viṣṇu is the source of the Vedas (tad-vidām). This excludes those smṛti scriptures which prescribe vows on the Aṣṭamī day with Rohiṇī constellation mixed with the Saptamī day, or offerings to the Pitṛs, which are devoid of worship of Viṣṇu at the beginning of the ceremony. By this the mind (ātmā) is pleased. This is similar to the statement sa vai puṁsāṁ parodharmo yato bhaktiradhokṣaje. ahaitukyapratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati (SB 1.2.6) The word su in suprasīdati indicates that the mind is not pleased with karma mixed with bhakti or bhakti mixed karma as much as it is pleased with pure bhakti. And dharma without bhakti should not be accepted. Yajñavalkya says:

Śruti-smṛti-sadācāraḥ svasya ca priyam ātmanaḥ

samyak saḍkalpa-jaḥ kāmo dharma-mūlam idaṁ smṛtam

The Vedas, smṛti scriptures and proper conduct are pleasing to the mind. Desires arising from firm determination (following principles of dharma) are considered the root of dharma.

Manu says:

vedo ’khilo dharma-mūlaṁ smṛti-śīle ca tad-vidām

ācāraś cāpi sādhūnām ātmanas tuṣṭir eva ca

All the Vedas, smṛti and conduct are the root of dharma for those who know. The conduct of the well-behaved is satisfying to the mind.

However Nārada’s statement that the root of dharma is the Supreme Lord is a superior idea. Narasiṁha Purāṇa says:

sanakādayo nivṛttākhye te ca dharme niyojitāḥ

pravṛttākhye marīcyādyā muktvaikaṁ nāradaṁ munim

Sanaka and others were engaged in the dharma of renunciation and Marīci and others were engaged in the path of enjoyment through dharma. Only Nārada was free of both of these.

Thus Nārada is superior to both Yajñavalkya and Manu since he is aware of the essence of all dharmas.

annādyādeḥ saṁvibhāgo

bhūtebhyaś ca yathārhataḥ

teṣv ātma-devatā-buddhiḥ

sutarāṁ nṛṣu pāṇòava

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ cāsya

smaraṇaṁ mahatāṁ gateḥ

sevejyāvanatir dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-samarpaṇam

nṛṇām ayaṁ paro dharmaḥ

sarveṣāṁ samudāhṛtaḥ

triṁśal-lakṣaṇavān rājan

sarvātmā yena tuṣyati

These are the general principles to be followed by all human beings: truthfulness, mercy, austerity, cleanliness, tolerance, discrimination between right and wrong, control of the mind, control of the senses, nonviolence, celibacy, charity, japa, simplicity, satisfaction, rendering service to those who see equally, gradually taking leave of unnecessary engagements, observing the futility of activities of human society, avoiding unnecessary talk, considering the difference of the body from the soul, distributing food equally to all living entities, seeing every soul as oneself or a devatā, hearing, chanting, and remembering the Lord and his devotees, service, performing deity worship, offering obeisances, becoming a servant, becoming a friend, and surrendering one's whole self. O King Yudhiṣṭhira, these thirty actions have been discerned as the highest dharma of man, by which the Lord is satisfied.

In five verses, bhakti-yoga common for all humans is described. The first twenty-one items are assistant items for bhakti. The items starting with hearing are direct bhakti. Austerity refers to fasting on Ekādaśī etc. Śamaḥ means control of the mind and damaḥ is control of the senses. Svādhyāyaḥ is chanting japa in the proper amount. Samadṛk-sevā means “serving those who see all beings equally.” Viparyaya-īhā īkṣā is observing the futility of material actions. Maunam means giving up useless talk. Ātma-vimarśanam is thinking the ātmā is different from the body. Anna-ādya-ādeḥ means dividing suitably and giving out food like rice, cakes, cloth, garlands and sandalwood. One should think of all beings to be oneself or devatās.

In speaking about varṇas, first the characteristics of the second born are described. He is called second born who has performed samskāras starting with garbhādhāna using mantras.2 If the continuity of saṁskāras is broken, the person is a dvija-bandhu. Brahmā prescribed this for the second born at the beginning of creation. This means that birth from a pure mother and father is the chief characteristic of the second born.

Now Nārada describes the occupations of the four varṇas in seven and a half verses. For the brāhmaṇa, six activities are prescribed (vihitāni, the verb, is in the previous verse). Three items of livelihood are: study of the Vedas, worship and accepting charity.3 Manu says:

saṇṇān tu karmaṇām asya trīṇi karmāṇi jīvikā

yajanādhyāpane caiva viśuddhāc ca pratigrahaḥ

Among the six activities, three are livelihood: worship, teaching of the Vedas and accepting charity from a pure person.

The kṣatriya (anyasya) cannot accept charity. As emergency the kṣatriya can use teaching Vedas and performing worship for others as a livelihood. Accepting charity is forbidden for the kṣatriya even in emergency situations. Offerings of respect given by the person he protects are the livelihood of the kṣatriya. Or he can levy taxes, fines or custom duty for a livelihood.

The occupation of the vaiśya is agriculture and commerce. The quality of the śūdra is serving the higher orders and his occupation is service to a master of those higher orders.

This verse describes alternative occupations for the brāhmaṇa. There are various other occupations for the brāhmaṇa. Śālīna means receiving food without begging. Yāyāvara means begging for one day’s grains. Śila means collecting left over grains from the field. Uñchanam means collecting grains which have fallen on the ground in the market and left there.

This verse describes emergency situations. Those lower should not accept higher professions like teaching. The kṣatriya can also take other occupations except receiving charity.

The occupations of the brāhmaṇa and the vaiśya are permitted for all during emergencies. This verse is explained in the following verses.

The profession of uñchaśila, collecting grains from the field, is called ṛta. Collecting without begging is called amṛta, begging grains is called mṛta, tilling the ground is called pramṛta, and trade is called satyānṛta. Engaging in the service of low-grade persons, however, is called śva-vṛtti, the profession of the dogs. Brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas should not engage in service to those lower, since the brāhmaṇas are the Vedic knowledge, and kṣatriyas are like devatās.

The reason that the brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya should not take service from those who are lower is that the brāhmaṇa is equivalent to the Vedas and the kṣatriya is equivalent to the devatās. However for vaiśyas and śūdras to take employment from those lower than themselves is not so faulty.

The unique qualities of each varṇa are now described in four verses. Acyutātmatvam means absorbing the mind in Viṣṇu.

The characteristics of chaste women are described in five verses. The husband should be worshipped (pati-devānām).

Always well decorated and wearing clean cloth, she should please her husband by washing and decorating the house, by offering great and small services desired by the husband, by modesty, by control of the senses, by truthful and pleasing speech, and by affection.

She enjoys with her husband who has the Lord as his soul.

The occupations of those who marry a woman of higher or lower varṇa are described. They take the occupation of their family. Thus those from barber families become barbers and those from washer men families become washer men. These persons should not come from sinful families such as those addicted to drinking and illicit sex. Thievery is also forbidden. These occupations, without involving theft, are considered to have no sin attached to them. Some examples are given of persons married women of higher caste.

rajakaś carmakāraś ca naṭo varuòa eva ca

kaivartam edabhillāś ca saptaite antyajāḥ smṛtāḥ

The washer man, leather dealer, actor, cane splitter, fisherman, the meda and the mountain tribal are known as antyaja.

Angevasāyi means caṇòāla4 and others.

It is better to perform one’s own occupation, though inferior, than the occupation of a superior varṇa. This is the conclusion of the knowers of the Veda. It is the cause of happiness (śarma-kṛt). The Lord says:

śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣṭhitāt |

sva-dharme nidhanaṁ śreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ ||

It is better to perform ones own duties even if in a faulty way, than to perform others’ duties albeit very well. Destruction in the course one’s duties is beneficial. Performing others’ duties is full of danger. BG 3.35

This is a general principle (prāyaḥ) because giving up bad conduct found in the lower groups, does not bring unhappiness.

He gradually gives up his nature after many births. It is said svadharma-niṣṭhaḥ śata janmabhiḥ pumān viriñcatām eti: one who strictly follows the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma for at least one hundred births will attain the post of Lord Brahmā.

My dear King! If a field is cultivated again and again, it becomes barren and unsuitable for germinating seeds. Whatever seeds are sown there are lost. Just as drops of ghee on a fire never extinguish the fire but a flood of ghee will, similarly, by excessive indulgence in lusty desires, the heart may become detached from such desires entirely.

Because it is impossible for a person with excessive material desires to give up desires by the rules of the Vedas, rather than forbid all enjoyment, one is allowed to enjoy with an honest heart, and detachment will take place eventually. Examples are Yayati and Saubhari. An example is given in two verses. After much cultivation sometimes the field is not suitable for germinating seeds any more. Sometimes, the seeds which are planted are destroyed by the acidic soil. The heart in which desire resides in abundance (kāma āśaya) as various impressions gradually becomes detached. Just as a blazing fir is not reduced by adding drops of ghee, but is extinguished by pouring a huge quantity of ghee on it, so indulging in a huge amount of enjoyment extinguishes the desire.

However, if a man designated by a particular varṇa shows the qualities of another varṇa, he should be classified according that other varṇa, and should be called by that name, such as brāhmaṇa. What is meant by “showing qualities” is showing general qualities like control of the sense and mind (for the brāhmaṇa for instance), not particular actions like performing sandhya rites. This means he should be given the respect like a brāhmaṇa. One should not say “Performing another’s dharma is dangerous” since attaining qualities like control of the senses and mind is not another’s dharma.

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