THE FOUR ORDERS OF HUMAN BEINGS

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THE FOUR ORDERS OF HUMAN BEINGS

From The Mahabharata- Santi Parva- Section

CLXXXVIII.

 

Brigu said,"..... (The Creator created) human beings

with their four divisions, viz., Brahmanas,

Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras. The complexion the

Brahmanas obtained was white; that which the

Kshatriyas obtained was red; that which the Vaisyas

got was yellow; and that which was given to the

Sudras was black."

[The words expressive of hue or colour really mean

attributes. What is intended to be said is that the

Brahmanas had the attribute of Goodness (Sattwa); the

second order had the attribute of Passion (Rajas); the

third got a mixture of the two, i.e., both goodness

and passion (Sattwa and Rajas); while the lowest

order got the remaining attribute, viz., Darkness

(Tamas).].

 

Bharadwaja said,"If the distinction between the four

orders of human beings be made by means only of colour

(attribute), then it seems that all the four orders

have been mingled together. Lust, wrath, fear,

cupidity, grief, anxiety, hunger, toil,- possess and

prevail over all men. How can men be distinguished by

the possession of attributes? The bodies of all men

emit sweat, urine, faeces, phlegm, bile, and

blood. How then can men be distributed into classes?

Of mobile objects the number is infinite; the species

also of immobile objects are innumerable. How then,

can, objects of such very great diversity be

distributed into classes?"

 

Brigu said,"There is really no distinction between the

different orders. The whole world at first consisted

of Brahmanas. Created equal by the Creator, men have

in consequence of their acts, become distributed

into different orders. They that became fond of

indulging in desire and enjoying pleasures, possessed

of the attributes of severity and wrath,

endued with courage , and unmindful of the duties of

piety and worship,- these Brahmanas possessing the

attribute of Passion,- became Kshatriyas.

 

Those Brahmanas again who,without attending to the

duties laid down for them, became possessed of both

the attributes of Goodness and Passion, and took to

the professions of cattle-rearing and agriculture,

became Vaisyas. Those Brahmanas again that

became fond of untruth and injuring other creatures,

possessed of cupidity,- engaged in all kinds of acts

for a living, and fallen away from

purity of behaviour, and thus wedded to the attribute

of Darkness, became Sudras.

 

Separated by these occupations, Brahmanas, falling

away from their own order, became members of the

other three orders. All the four orders, therefore,

have always the right to the performance of all pious

duties and of sacrifices. Even thus were the four

orders at first created equal by Brahma who ordained

for all of them (the observances disclosed in) the

words of Brahma (in the Vedas). Through cupidity

alone, many fell away, and became possessed by

ignorance.

 

The Brahmanas always devoted to the scriptures on

Brahma; and mindful of vows and restraints, are

capable of grasping the conception of Brahma.Their

penances therefore, never go for nothing. They amongst

them are not Brahmanas that are incapable of

understanding that every created thing is Supreme

Brahma. These, falling away, became members of diverse

(inferior) orders. Losing the light of knowledge, and

betaking themselves to an unrestrained course of

conduct, they take birth as Pisachas and

Rakshasas and Pretas and as individuals of diverse

Mleccha species.

 

The great Rishis who at the beginning sprang into life

(through the Creator`s will) subsequently created, by

means of their penances, men devoted to the duties

ordained for them and attached to the rites laid

down in the Eternal Vedas. That other Creation,

however, which is eternal and undecaying, which is

based upon Supreme Brahma and has sprung from the

Primevel God, and which has its refuge upon yoga, is a

mental one.

 

Bharadwaja said:" By what acts does one become a

Brahman? By what a Kshatriya? By what acts again does

one become a Vaisya or a Sudra? Tell me this, O

foremost of speakers."

 

Bhrigu said, "That person is called a Brahman who has

been sanctified by such rites as those called JATA and

others; who is pure in behaviour; who is engaged in

studying the Vedas; who is devoted to the six

well-known acts (of ablutions every morning and

evening, silent recitation of mantras, pouring

libations on the sacrificial fire, worshipping the

deities, doing the duties of hospitality to guests,

and offering food to the Viswedevas); who is properly

observant of all pious acts; who never takes food

without having offered it duly to gods and guests;

who is filled with reverence for his preceptor; and

who is always devoted to vows and truth.

 

He is called a Brahmana in whom are truth, gifts,

abstention from injury to others, compassion, shame,

benevolence and penance.

 

He who is engaged in the profession of battle, who

studies the Vedas, who makes gifts (to Brahmanas) and

takes wealth (from those he protects) is called a

Kshatriya.

 

He who earns fame from keep of cattle, who is employed

in agriculture and the means of acquiring wealth, who

is pure in behaviour and attends to the study of the

Vedas, is called a Vaisya.

 

He who takes pleasure in eating every kind of food,

who is engaged in doing every kind of work, who is

impure in behaviour, who does not study the Vedas, and

whose conduct is unclean, is said to be a Sudra.

 

If these characteristics be observable in a Sudra, and

if they be not found in a Brahmana, then such a Sudra,

is no Sudra, and such a Brahmana is no Brahmana. By

every means should cupidity and wrath be restrained.

 

This as also self-restraint, are the highest results

of Knowledge. Those passions (cupidity and wrath),

should, with one`s whole heart, be resisted.They make

their appearance for destroying one`s highest good.

 

One should always protect one`s prosperity from one`s

wrath, one`s penance from pride; one`s knowledge from

honour and disgrace; and one`s soul from error.

 

That intelligent person, who does all acts without

desire of fruit, whose whole wealth exists for

charity, and who performs the daily Homa, is a

real renouncer (karma-sannyasa).

 

One should conduct oneself as a friend to all

creatures, abstaining from all acts of injury.

Rejecting the acceptance of all gifts, one should, by

the aid of one`s intelligence, be a complete master of

one`s passions. One should live in one`s soul where

there can be no grief. One would then have no fear

here and attain to a fearless region hereafter. One

should live always devoted to penances, and with all

passions completely restrained; observing the vow of

taciturnity, and with soul concentrated on itself;

desirous of conquering the unconquered senses, and

unattached in the midst of attachments.

 

The indications of a Brahmana are purity, good

behaviour and compassion unto all creatures.

 

 

 

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