Srimad Bhagavatam 5.1.14

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Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 5.1.14

 

yad-vaci tantyam guna-karma-damabhih

sudustarair vatsa vayam suyojitah

sarve vahamo balim isvaraya

prota nasiva dvi-pade catush-padah

 

SYNONYMS

 

yat -- of whom; vaci -- in the form of Vedic instruction; tantyam -- to a long

rope; guna -- of quality; karma -- and work; damabhih -- by the ropes;

su-dustaraih -- very difficult to avoid; vatsa -- my dear boy; vayam -- we;

su-yojitah -- are engaged; sarve -- all; vahamah -- carry out; balim -- orders

to please Him; isvaraya -- unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; protah --

being bound; nasi -- in the nose; iva -- like; dvi-pade -- to the two-legged

(driver); catuh-padah -- the four-legged (bulls).

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear boy, all of us are bound by the Vedic injunctions to the divisions of

varnasrama according to our qualities and work. These divisions are difficult

to avoid because they are scientifically arranged. We must therefore carry out

our duties of varnasrama-dharma, like bulls obliged to move according to the

direction of a driver pulling on ropes knotted to their noses.

 

PURPORT

 

In this verse, the words tantyam guna-karma-damabhih are very important. We

each get a body according to our association with the gunas, the qualities or

modes of material nature, and we act accordingly. As stated in Bhagavad-gita,

the four orders of the social system -- namely brahmana, kshatriya, vaisya and

sudra -- are arranged according to guna and karma, their qualities and work.

There is some controversy about this, however, because some say that since one

receives a body according to the guna and karma of his past life, it is one's

birth that determines his social status. Others say, however, that one's birth

according to the guna and karma of his past life is not the essential

consideration, since one can change his guna and karma even in this life. Thus

they say that the four divisions of the social order -- brahmana, kshatriya,

vaisya and sudra -- should be arranged according to the guna and karma of this

life. This version is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam by Narada Muni. While

instructing Maharaja Yudhishthira about the symptoms of guna and karma, Narada

Muni said that these symptoms must govern the division of society. In other

words, if a person born in the family of a brahmana has the symptoms of a

sudra, he should be designated as a sudra. Similarly, if a sudra has

brahminical qualities, he should be designated a brahmana.

 

The varnasrama system is scientific. Therefore if we accept the divisions of

varna and asrama according to the Vedic instructions, our lives will be

successful. Unless human society is thus divided and arranged, it cannot be

perfect. As stated in the Vishnu Purana (3.8.9):

 

varnasramacaravata

 

purushena parah puman

 

vishnur aradhyate pantha

 

nanyat tat-tosha-karanam

 

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, is worshiped by the proper

execution of prescribed duties in the system of varna and asrama. There is no

other way to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One must be situated

in the institution of the four varnas and asramas." All of human society is

meant to worship Lord Vishnu. At the present moment, however, human society

does not know that this is the ultimate goal or perfection of life. Therefore

instead of worshiping Lord Vishnu. people have been educated to worship matter.

According to the direction of modern society, men think they can advance in

civilization by manipulating matter to build skyscrapers, big roads,

automobiles and so on. Such a civilization must certainly be called

materialistic because its people do not know the goal of life. The goal of life

is to reach Vishnu. but instead of reaching Vishnu, people are bewildered by

the external manifestation of the material energy. Therefore progress in

material advancement is blind, and the leaders of such material advancement are

also blind. They are leading their followers in the wrong way.

 

It is best, therefore, to accept the injunctions of the Vedas, which are

mentioned in this verse as yad-vaci. In accordance with those injunctions,

everyone should find out whether he is a brahmana, kshatriya, vaisya or sudra

and should thus be educated accordingly. Then his life will be successful.

Otherwise, all of human society will be confused. If human society is divided

scientifically according to varna and asrama, and if the Vedic directions are

followed, one's life, regardless of his position, will be successful. It is not

that brahmanas will be elevated to the transcendental platform but not the

sudras. If the Vedic injunctions are followed, all of them -- brahmanas,

kshatriyas, vaisyas and sudras -- will be elevated to the transcendental

platform, and their lives will be successful. The injunctions in the Vedas are

explicit directions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The example cited

in this verse is that bulls tied by ropes in their nostrils move according to

the direction of the driver. Similarly, if we move according to the

instructions of the Vedas, the perfect paths for our lives will be set.

Otherwise, if we do not move in that way but act according to our whimsical

ideas, our lives will be spoiled by confusion and will end in despair.

Actually, because people at the present moment are not following the

instructions of the Vedas, they are all confused. We must therefore accept this

instruction by Lord Brahma to Priyavrata as the factual scientific direction

leading to the success of life. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita

(16.23):

 

yah sastra-vidhim utsrijya

 

vartate kama-karatah

 

na sa siddhim avapnoti

 

na sukham na param gatim

 

If we do not live according to the injunctions of the sastras, the Vedas, we

shall never achieve success in life, to say nothing of happiness or elevation

to higher statuses of living.