Dear All,
Swami explains the 4 Varnas /castes with the uniqueness and importance of each one of them in maintaining peace, harmony and prosperity in community in the last chapter of Dharma Vahini.
Swami writes,
BRAHMIN
Brahmins are known by their significant traits: knowledge
One who
promotes these and cultivates these and develops these is a brahmin,
whoever one is. That is the qualification and the authority exercisable by the brahmin.
Only the highly
learned person and the person who conducts himself as befits that learning can
deserve the status. Earning these qualifications is the effort to be made by those
eager to justify that position.
KSHATRIYA
Now for the
signs of protectors (kshatriyas). They are
Those endowed
with such qualities are entitled to the status of warrior-hood. They have to
take up all tasks with that attitude and establish at home worthy rules for
all.
VAISYAS
Next the
business people (vaisyas). They have to try to make the currents of
commerce flow smooth and fast, to forge communication links that tie the
nations into one commonwealth and make wealth multiply in the world. That is
their task.
They must
ensure that the concord between peoples is unbroken and undiminished. They have
to aspire for “the fame of great deeds and noble achievements” and “the
splendour of having helped in the spread of education and health by the
erection of schools, hospitals, and the like”. They must devote their wealth to
the promotion of all worthy causes. By this means, virtue and righteousness are
fostered.
SUDRAS
Now for the
laborers (sudras) and their ideal characteristics: They have to produce
and gather things of value, not deviating from the path of dharma.
Always earnest
to realize the objects of human existence and always striving for the same,
they must intelligently store and protect things produced and try to produce
more and more, for the common benefit.
The things thus
collected have to be liberally utilized for the spread of genuine knowledge (vidya)
and for the sustenance and support of the virtuous.
In this way, by
the cooperative effort of these four types of human endeavour, wealth will
become much and manifold and mankind will be rendered happy.
The four castes
(varnas) have to feel that the social order has been designed with the
overall aim of maintaining worldly dharma (loka-dharma).
If each caste
adheres to its duties, the welfare of the world will doubtless be assured;
besides, each will be able to win what is even more important, the bliss of the Atma.
On the other
hand, if all feel that there is but one caste, one code of duties, and one set
of rules for all, the welfare and security of the world will be endangered.
If all enter
the field of trade, who will purchase and consume the goods offered? If all
start teaching, who will learn and practice? If all command, who will obey? If
all produce and grow, who will seek the products of their toil?
It is to create
the diversity that will contribute to unity, through the practice of truth and dharma in
every individual and social act, that the Lord has ordained the way of living
according to the duty of caste (varna-dharma).
Infuse every
profession and occupation with inner morality, with constant attachment to
truth, with the unperturbed equanimity of fortitude; then, follow the duties of
the caste (varna) with its prescribed professions —that is the summum
bonum, the supreme blessing.
If you fail to
do this, your lot will be misery and chronic poverty. The choice is
between the first, the Sri Rama saviour (raksha), and the second, the
worldly punishment (lokasiksha) of distress (dhurbhiksha). Your
saviour from the punishment is to learn dharma (dharma-sikshana)!
Love.
