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jaghanyah—low (person); na—not; uttamam—high; vrttim—means of livelihood; anapadi—when there is no social upheaval; bhajet—may accept; narah—a man; rte—except; rajanyam—the profession of the ksatriyas; apatsu—at times of emergency; sarvesam—of everyone in every status of life; api—certainly; sarvasah—all professions or occupational duties.

Except in a time of emergency, lower persons should not accept the occupational duties of those who are higher. When there is such an emergency, of course, everyone but the ksatriya may accept the means of livelihood of others.

The occupational duty of a brahmana should not be accepted by persons in lower social orders, especially vaisyas and sudras. For example, an occupational duty of the brahmana is to teach Vedic knowledge, but unless there is an emergency, this professional duty should not be accepted by the ksatriyas, vaisyas or sudras. Even a ksatriya cannot accept the duties of a brahmana unless there is an emergency, and then even if he does so he should not accept charity from anyone else. Sometimes brahmanas protest against our Krsna consciousness movement for creating brahmanas from Europeans, or, in other words, from mlecchas and yavanas. This movement, however, is here supported in Srimad-Bhagavatam. At the present moment, society is in a chaotic condition, and everyone has given up the cultivation of spiritual life, which is especially meant for the brahmanas. Because spiritual culture has been stopped all over the world, there is now an emergency, and therefore it is now time to train those who are considered lower and condemned, so that they may become brahmanas and take up the work of spiritual progress. The spiritual progress of human society has been stopped, and this should be considered an emergency. Here is solid support from Narada Muni of the movement known as Krsna consciousness.

satyanrtabhyam api va

na sva-vrttya kadacana

rtam unchasilam proktam

amrtam yad ayacitam

mrtam tu nitya-yacna syat

pramrtam karsanam smrtam

satyanrtam ca vanijyam

sva-vrttir nica-sevanam

varjayet tam sada vipro

rajanyas ca jugupsitam

sarva-vedamayo viprah

sarva-devamayo nrpah

rta-amrtabhyam—of the means of livelihood known as rta and amrta; jiveta—one may live; mrtena—by the profession of mrta; pramrtena va—or by the profession of pramrta; satyanrtabhyam api—even by the profession of satyanrta; va—or; na—never; sva-vrttya—by the profession of the dogs; kadacana—at any time; rtam—rta; unchasilam—the livelihood of collecting grains left in the field or marketplace; proktam—it is said; amrtam—the profession of amrta; yat—which; ayacitam—obtained without begging from anyone else; mrtam—the profession of mrta; tu—but; nitya-yacna—begging grains every day from the farmers; syat—should be; pramrtam—the pramrta means of livelihood; karsanam—tilling the field; smrtam—it is so remembered; satyanrtam—the occupation of satyanrta; ca—and; vanijyam—trade; sva-vrttih—the occupation of the dogs; nica-sevanam—the service of low persons (the vaisyas and sudras); varjayet—should give up; tam—that (the profession of the dogs); sada—always; viprah—the brahmana; rajanyah ca—and the ksatriya; jugupsitam—very abominable; sarva-veda-mayah—learned in all the Vedic understandings; viprah—the brahmana; sarva-deva-mayah—the embodiment of all the demigods; nrpah—the ksatriya or king.

In time of emergency, one may accept any of the various types of professions known as rta, amrta, mrta, pramrta and satyanrta, but one should not at any time accept the profession of a dog. The profession of unchasila, collecting grains from the field, is called rta. Collecting without begging is called amrta, begging grains is called mrta, tilling the ground is called pramrta, and trade is called satyanrta. Engaging in the service of low-grade persons, however, is called sva-vrtti, the profession of the dogs. Specifically, brahmanas and ksatriyas should not engage in the low and abominable service of sudras. Brahmanas should be well acquainted with all the Vedic knowledge, and ksatriyas should be well acquainted with the worship of demigods.

satyam ca brahma-laksanam

As stated in Bhagavad-gita (4.13), catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah: the four divisions of human society were created by the Supreme Lord according to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them. Formerly, the principle of dividing human society into four sections—brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra—was strictly followed, but because of gradual neglect of the varnasrama principles, varna-sankara population developed, and the entire institution has now been lost. In this age of Kali, practically everyone is a sudra (kalau sudra-sambhavah), and finding anyone who is a brahmana, ksatriya or vaisya is very difficult. Although the Krsna consciousness movement is a movement of brahmanas and Vaisnavas, it is trying to reestablish the divine varnasrama institution, for without this division of society there cannot be peace and prosperity anywhere.

SB7.11.21

TEXT 21

samo damas tapah saucam

santosah ksantir arjavam

jnanam dayacyutatmatvam

samah—control of the mind; damah—control of the senses; tapah—austerity and penance; saucam—cleanliness; santosah—satisfaction; ksantih—forgiveness (being unagitated by anger); arjavam—simplicity; jnanam—knowledge; daya—mercy; acyuta-atmatvam—accepting oneself as an eternal servant of the Lord; satyam—truthfulness; ca—also; brahma-laksanam—the symptoms of a brahmana.

The symptoms of a brahmana are control of the mind, control of the senses, austerity and penance, cleanliness, satisfaction, forgiveness, simplicity, knowledge, mercy, truthfulness, and complete surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

In the institution of varnasrama-dharma, the symptoms of a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasi are all described. The ultimate aim is acyutatmatvam—to think always of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, or Visnu. To make advancement in Krsna consciousness, one has to become a brahmana, with the above-mentioned symptoms.

SB7.11.22

TEXT 22

sauryam viryam dhrtis tejas

tyagas catmajayah ksama

brahmanyata prasadas ca

satyam ca ksatra-laksanam

sauryam—power in battle; viryam—being unconquerable; dhrtih—patience (even in reverses, a ksatriya is very grave); tejah—ability to defeat others; tyagah—giving charity; ca—and; atma-jayah—not being overwhelmed by bodily necessities; ksama—forgiveness; brahmanyata—faithfulness to the brahminical principles; prasadah—jolliness in any condition of life; ca—and; satyam ca—and truthfulness; ksatra-laksanam—these are the symptoms of a ksatriya.

To be influential in battle, unconquerable, patient, challenging and charitable, to control the bodily necessities, to be forgiving, to be attached to the brahminical nature and to be always jolly and truthful—these are the symptoms of the ksatriya.

SB7.11.23

TEXT 23

deva-gurv-acyute bhaktis

tri-varga-pariposanam

astikyam udyamo nityam

naipunyam vaisya-laksanam

SYNONYMS

deva-guru-acyute—unto the demigods, the spiritual master and Lord Visnu; bhaktih—engagement in devotional service; tri-varga—of the three principles of pious life (religion, economic development and sense gratification); pariposanam—execution; astikyam—faith in the scriptures, the spiritual master and the Supreme Lord; udyamah—active; nityam—without cessation, continuously; naipunyam—expertise; vaisya-laksanam—the symptoms of a vaisya.

TRANSLATION

Being always devoted to the demigods, the spiritual master and the Supreme Lord, Visnu; endeavoring for advancement in religious principles, economic development and sense gratification [dharma, artha and kama]; believing in the words of the spiritual master and scripture; and always endeavoring with expertise in earning money—these are the symptoms of the vaisya.

SB7.11.24

TEXT 24

sudrasya sannatih saucam

seva svaminy amayaya

amantra-yajno hy asteyam

satyam go-vipra-raksanam

SYNONYMS

sudrasya—of the sudra (the fourth grade of man in society, the worker); sannatih—obedience to the higher classes (the brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas); saucam—cleanliness; seva—service; svamini—to the master who maintains him; amayaya—without duplicity; amantra-yajnah—performance of sacrifices simply by offering obeisances (without mantras); hi—certainly; asteyam—practicing not to steal; satyam—truthfulness; go—cows; vipra—brahmanas; raksanam—protecting.

TRANSLATION

Offering obeisances to the higher sections of society [the brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas], being always very clean, being free from duplicity, serving one’s master, performing sacrifices without uttering mantras, not stealing, always speaking the truth and giving all protection to the cows and brahmanas—these are the symptoms of the sudra.

PURPORT

It is everyone’s experience that workers or servants are generally accustomed to stealing. A first-class servant is one who does not steal. Here it is recommended that a first-class sudra must remain very clean, must not steal or speak lies, and must always render service to his master. A sudra may attend sacrifices and Vedic ritualistic ceremonies along with his master, but he should not utter the mantras, for these may be uttered only by the members of the higher sections of society. Unless one is completely pure and has been raised to the standard of a brahmana, ksatriya or vaisya—in other words, unless one is dvija, twice-born—the chanting of mantras will not be fruitful.

SB7.11.25

TEXT 25

strinam ca pati-devanam

tac-chusrusanukulata

tad-bandhusv anuvrttis ca

nityam tad-vrata-dharanam

strinam—of women; ca—also; pati-devanam—who have accepted their husbands as worshipable; tat-susrusa—readiness to render service to her husband; anukulata—being favorably disposed towards her husband; tat-bandhusu—unto the friends and relatives of the husband; anuvrttih—being similarly disposed (to treat them well for the satisfaction of the husband); ca—and; nityam—regularly; tat-vrata-dharanam—accepting the vows of the husband or acting exactly as the husband acts.

To render service to the husband, to be always favorably disposed toward the husband, to be equally well disposed toward the husband’s relatives and friends, and to follow the vows of the husband—these are the four principles to be followed by women described as chaste.

vakyaih satyaih priyaih premna

It is very important for peaceful householder life that a woman follow the vow of her husband. Any disagreement with the husband’s vow will disrupt family life. In this regard, Canakya Pandita gives a very valuable instruction: dampatyoh kalaho nasti tatra srih svayam agatah. When there are no fights between husband and wife, the goddess of fortune automatically comes to the home. A woman’s education should be conducted along the lines indicated in this verse. The basic principle for a chaste woman is to be always favorably disposed toward her husband. In Bhagavad-gita (1.40) it is said, strisu dustasu varsneya jayate varna-sankarah: if the women are polluted, there will be varna-sankara population. In modern terms, the varna-sankara are the hippies, who do not follow any regulative injunctions. Another explanation is that when the population is varna-sankara, no one can know who is on what platform. The varnasrama system scientifically divides society into four varnas and four asramas, but in varna-sankara society there are no such distinctions, and no one can know who is who. In such a society, no one can distinguish between a brahmana, a ksatriya, a vaisya and a sudra. For peace and happiness in the material world, the varnasrama institution must be introduced. The symptoms of one’s activities must be defined, and one must be educated accordingly. Then spiritual advancement will automatically be possible.

SB7.11.26-27

TEXTS 26–27

sammarjanopalepabhyam

grha-mandana-vartanaih

svayam ca mandita nityam

parimrsta-paricchada

kamair uccavacaih sadhvi

prasrayena damena ca

kale kale bhajet patim

sammarjana—by cleaning; upalepabhyam—by smearing with water or other cleansing liquids; grha—the household; mandana—decorating; vartanaih—remaining at home and engaged in such duties; svayam—personally; ca—also; mandita—finely dressed; nityam—always; parimrsta—cleansed; paricchada—garments and household utensils; kamaih—according to the desires of the husband; ucca-avacaih—both great and small; sadhvi—a chaste woman; prasrayena—with modesty; damena—by controlling the senses; ca—also; vakyaih—by speech; satyaih—truthful; priyaih—very pleasing; premna—with love; kale kale—at appropriate times; bhajet—should worship; patim—her husband.

A chaste woman must dress nicely and decorate herself with golden ornaments for the pleasure of her husband. Always wearing clean and attractive garments, she should sweep and clean the household with water and other liquids so that the entire house is always pure and clean. She should collect the household paraphernalia and keep the house always aromatic with incense and flowers and must be ready to execute the desires of her husband. Being modest and truthful, controlling her senses, and speaking in sweet words, a chaste woman should engage in the service of her husband with love, according to time and circumstances.

SB7.11.28

TEXT 28

santustalolupa daksa

dharma-jna priya-satya-vak

apramatta sucih snigdha

patim tv apatitam bhajet

SYNONYMS

santusta—always satisfied; alolupa—without being greedy; daksa—very expert in serving; dharma-jna—fully conversant with religious principles; priya—pleasing; satya—truthful; vak—in speaking; apramatta—attentive in service to her husband; sucih—always clean and pure; snigdha—affectionate; patim—the husband; tu—but; apatitam—who is not fallen; bhajet—should worship.

TRANSLATION

A chaste woman should not be greedy, but satisfied in all circumstances. She must be very expert in handling household affairs and should be fully conversant with religious principles. She should speak pleasingly and truthfully and should be very careful and always clean and pure. Thus a chaste woman should engage with affection in the service of a husband who is not fallen.

PURPORT

According to the injunction of Yajnavalkya, an authority on religious principles, asuddheh sampratiksyo hi mahapataka-dusitah. One is considered contaminated by the reactions of great sinful activities when one has not been purified according to the methods of the dasa-vidha-samskara. In Bhagavad-gita, however, the Lord says, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah: [Bg. 7.15] “Those miscreants who do not surrender unto Me are the lowest of mankind.” The word naradhama means “nondevotee.” Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu also said, yei bhaje sei bada, abhakta—hina, chara. Anyone who is a devotee is sinless. One who is not a devotee, however, is the most fallen and condemned. It is recommended, therefore, that a chaste wife not associate with a fallen husband. A fallen husband is one who is addicted to the four principles of sinful activity—namely illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. Specifically, if one is not a soul surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is understood to be contaminated. Thus a chaste woman is advised not to agree to serve such a husband. It is not that a chaste woman should be like a slave while her husband is naradhama, the lowest of men. Although the duties of a woman are different from those of a man, a chaste woman is not meant to serve a fallen husband. If her husband is fallen, it is recommended that she give up his association. Giving up the association of her husband does not mean, however, that a woman should marry again and thus indulge in prostitution. If a chaste woman unfortunately marries a husband who is fallen, she should live separately from him. Similarly, a husband can separate himself from a woman who is not chaste according to the description of the sastra. The conclusion is that a husband should be a pure Vaisnava and that a woman should be a chaste wife with all the symptoms described in this regard. Then both of them will be happy and make spiritual progress in Krsna consciousness.

SB7.11.29

TEXT 29

ya patim hari-bhavena

bhajet srir iva tat-para

hary-atmana harer loke

patya srir iva modate

ya—any woman who; patim—her husband; hari-bhavena—mentally accepting him as equal to Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhajet—worships or renders service to; srih iva—exactly like the goddess of fortune; tat-para—being devoted; hari-atmana—completely absorbed in thoughts of Hari; hareh loke—in the spiritual world, the Vaikuntha planets; patya—with her husband; srih iva—exactly like the goddess of fortune; modate—enjoys spiritual, eternal life.

The woman who engages in the service of her husband, following strictly in the footsteps of the goddess of fortune, surely returns home, back to Godhead, with her devotee husband, and lives very happily in the Vaikuntha planets.

The faithfulness of the goddess of fortune is the ideal for a chaste woman. The Brahma-samhita (5.29) says, laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam. In the Vaikuntha planets, Lord Visnu is worshiped by many, many thousands of goddesses of fortune, and in Goloka Vrndavana, Lord Krsna is worshiped by many, many thousands of gopis, all of whom are goddesses of fortune. A woman should serve her husband as faithfully as the goddess of fortune. A man should be an ideal servant of the Lord, and a woman should be an ideal wife like the goddess of fortune. Then both husband and wife will be so faithful and strong that by acting together they will return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt. In this regard, Srila Madhvacarya gives this opinion:

harir asmin sthita iti
strinam bhartari bhavana
sisyanam ca gurau nityam
sudranam brahmanadisu
bhrtyanam svamini tatha
hari-bhava udiritah

A woman should think of her husband as the Supreme Lord. Similarly, a disciple should think of the spiritual master as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a sudra should think of a brahmana as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and a servant should think of his master as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this way, all of them will automatically become devotees of the Lord. In other words, by thinking this way, all of them will become Krsna conscious.

SB7.11.30

TEXT 30

vrttih sankara-jatinam

tat-tat-kula-krta bhavet

acauranam apapanam

antyajantevasayinam

vrttih—occupational duty; sankara-jatinam—of the mixed classes of men (those other than the four divisions); tat-tat—according to their respective; kula-krta—family tradition; bhavet—should be; acauranam—not thieves by profession; apapanam—not sinful; antyaja—lower classes; antevasayinam—known as antevasayi or candala.

Among the mixed classes known as sankara, those who are not thieves are known as antevasayi or candalas [dog-eaters], and they also have their hereditary customs.

The four principal divisions of society—brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra—have been defined, and now there is a description of the antyaja, the mixed classes. Among the mixed classes, there are two divisions—pratilomaja and anulomaja. If a woman of a high caste marries a man of a lower caste, their union is called pratilo. If a woman of a low caste, however, marries a man of a higher caste, their union is called anulo. The members of such dynasties have their traditional duties as barbers, washermen and so on. Among the antyajas, those who are still somewhat pure in that they do not steal and are not addicted to meat-eating, drinking, illicit sex and gambling are called antevasayi. Among people of the lower classes, intermarriage and the drinking of wine are allowed, for these people do not recognize such conduct as sinful among themselves.

SB7.11.31

TEXT 31

prayah sva-bhava-vihito

nrnam dharmo yuge yuge

veda-drgbhih smrto rajan

pretya ceha ca sarma-krt

prayah—generally; sva-bhava-vihitah—prescribed, according to one’s material modes of nature; nrnam—of human society; dharmah—the occupational duty; yuge yuge—in every age; veda-drgbhih—by brahmanas well conversant in the Vedic knowledge; smrtah—recognized; rajan—O King; pretya—after death; ca—and; iha—here (in this body); ca—also; sarma-krt—auspicious.

My dear King, brahmanas well conversant in Vedic knowledge have given their verdict that in every age [yuga] the conduct of different sections of people according to their material modes of nature is auspicious both in this life and after death.

hitva sva-bhava-jam karma

In Bhagavad-gita (3.35) it is said, sreyan sva-dharmo vigunah para-dharmat svanusthitat: “It is far better to discharge one’s prescribed duties, even though they may be faulty, than another’s duties.” The antyajas, the men of the lower classes, are accustomed to stealing, drinking and illicit sex, but that is not considered sinful. For example, if a tiger kills a man, this is not sinful but if a man kills another man, this is considered sinful, and the killer is hanged. What is a daily affair among the animals is a sinful act in human society. Thus according to the symptoms of higher and lower sections of society, there are different varieties of occupational duties. According to the experts in Vedic knowledge, these duties are prescribed in terms of the age concerned.

SB7.11.32

TEXT 32

vrttya sva-bhava-krtaya

vartamanah sva-karma-krt

sanair nirgunatam iyat

vrttya—with the profession; sva-bhava-krtaya—performed according to one’s modes of material nature; vartamanah—existing; sva-karma-krt—executing his own work; hitva—giving up; sva-bhava-jam—born from one’s own modes of nature; karma—activities; sanaih—gradually; nirgunatam—transcendental position; iyat—may attain.

If one acts in his profession according to his position in the modes of nature and gradually gives up these activities, he attains the niskama stage.

If one gradually gives up his hereditary customs and duties and tries to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead in his natural position, he is gradually able to become free from these activities, and he attains the stage of niskama, freedom from material desires.

SB7.11.33-34

TEXTS 33–34

upyamanam muhuh ksetram

svayam nirviryatam iyat

na kalpate punah sutyai

uptam bijam ca nasyati

evam kamasayam cittam

kamanam atisevaya

virajyeta yatha rajann

agnivat kama-bindubhih

upyamanam—being cultivated; muhuh—again and again; ksetram—a field; svayam—itself; nirviryatam—barrenness; iyat—may obtain; na kalpate—is not suitable; punah—again; sutyai—for growing further harvests; uptam—sown; bijam—the seed; ca—and; nasyati—is spoiled; evam—in this way; kama-asayam—full of lusty desires; cittam—the core of the heart; kamanam—of the desirable objects; ati-sevaya—by enjoyment over and over again; virajyeta—may become detached; yatha—just as; rajan—O King; agni-vat—a fire; kama-bindubhih—by small drops of clarified butter.

My dear King, if an agricultural field is cultivated again and again, the power of its production decreases, and 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, overindulgence in lusty desires mitigates such desires entirely.

If one continuously sprinkles drops of ghee on a fire, the fire will not be extinguished, but if one suddenly puts a lump of ghee on a fire, the fire may possibly be extinguished entirely. Similarly, those who are too sinful and have thus been born in the lower classes are allowed to enjoy sinful activities fully, for thus there is a chance that these activities will become detestful to them, and they will get the opportunity to be purified.

SB7.11.35

TEXT 35

yasya yal laksanam proktam

pumso varnabhivyanjakam

yad anyatrapi drsyeta

tat tenaiva vinirdiset

yasya—of whom; yat—which; laksanam—symptom; proktam—described (above); pumsah—of a person; varna-abhivyanjakam—indicating the classification (brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, etc.); yat—if; anyatra—elsewhere; api—also; drsyeta—is seen; tat—that; tena—by that symptom; eva—certainly; vinirdiset—one should designate.

If one shows the symptoms of being a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or sudra, as described above, even if he has appeared in a different class, he should be accepted according to those symptoms of classification.