17-Following Dharm According to Varn and Aashram

Uddhav Jee asked - "Hey Krishn, Before you told me about Dharm, that is helpful to achieve your Bhakti, for those people who follow Dharm according to their Varn and Aashram and general people. Now please tell me that how should a person follow one's own Dharm to achieve your Bhakti. Long before you told this to Brahmaa Jee in the form of a Hans ( swan). Lately it has disappeared because of a long gap, so please tell that to me now." Krishn said - "When this Kalp began and its 1st Sat Yug was going on, all the human beings belonged to only one Varn "Hans". In that Yug people got Moksh since birth, that is why its one name is "Krit Yug" too. At that time only "Pranav" (Omkaar) was Ved and I was Dharm in the form of Vrishabh (bull) with Tapasyaa, Shauch (cleanliness), Dayaa (kindness) and Satya (truth) as his four legs. So people used to worship Me in my real Swaroop Hans (swan).

After Sat Yug, when Tretaa Yug started then Tri-Vidyaa (Rig Ved, Saam Ved and Yajur Ved) appeared from my heart through my breath; and I appeared from that Tri-Vidyaa in the form of Yagya Purush who had three Karm - of Hotaa, of Adhwaryu and of Udgaataa. Then from the mouth of that Viraat Purush appeared Braahaman, from arms Kshatriya, from thighs Vaishya and from feet Shoodra. They can be recognized by their nature and behavior. I am the Viraat Purush, so Grihasth Aashram appeared from my Ooru Sthal (below stomach), Brahmcharya from my heart, Vaanprasth Aashram from chest, and Sanyaas Aashram from my forehead. Their nature also became very good, medium and of lower quality.

Sham, Dam, Tapasyaa, Piousness, Santosh (contentment), Kshamaaa (forgiveness), plainness (simplicity), my Bhakti, Dayaa (kindness), Satya (truthfulness) - these 10 are Braahman's nature (characteristics). Tej, Bal (strength), patience, bravery, tolerance, giving any thing, hardworking, stabilization, Braahman Bhakti and wealth - these 10 are Kshatriya's nature. Belief in Bhagavaan, giving alms, no pride, serving Braahman and not being satisfied with collection of wealth - these 5 are the nature of Vaishya. Serving Braahman, cow, and Devtaa with plain heart and whatever is earned through that only, being satisfied with that are the nature of Shoodra. Unholiness, lying, stealing, not caring for Eeshwar and Par-Lok, useless quarrels and always being indulged in Kaam (sexual desires), Krodh (anger), Trishnaa (not being satisfied with anything and wanting more and more, or greed) - they are the nature of Antyaj.

For all the four Varn and Aashram the normal Dharm is - that one should not kill anybody from Mind, speech and body (see Manasaa Vachaa Karmanaa); one should speak truth; one should not steal; one should control Kaam, Krodh, Lobh (greed), Moh (attachment) and should do the same which is good for everybody and which makes everybody happy.

Braahman, Kshatriya and Vaishya should perform all rites up to Yagyopaveet Sanskaar and then should live in Gurukul, study Ved and think about its meaning. One should wear deer skin, Rudraaksh Maalaa, Yagyopaveet, and Kamandal. Keep Jataa on his head. One should not wash teeth and cloth for fashion and not sit on colored Aasan. He should use Kush grass. At the time of taking bath, eating food, doing Havan, Jap and excreting, he should keep silence and should never cut the hair of his armpit and pubic area. He should follow complete Brahmcharya. Never do masturbation, but if something happens in sleep, then he should take bath, do Praanaayaam and Gaayatree Jap. A Brahmchaaree should worship Agni, Soorya, Aachaarya, cow, Braahman, Guru, elders and Devtaa. Consider the Aachaarya as Bhagavaan and should not pick any bad things in him. Whatever he gets in alms, should give to Guru, and not only food, rather whatever he gets and then use it according to Guru's orders. If Aachaarya is going somewhere, he should walk behind him and he should sleep only after he has gone to sleep, at a little distance. If his Guru is tired, he should massage his feet and if he is sitting then he should wait upon him for his orders standing nearby clasping his hands together. Until the study is finished, he should keep himself away from all kinds of pleasures.

If he thinks that he should go to Brahm Lok, he should be Brahmchaaree for the whole life, and offer his life to Guru to study Ved. Such Brahmchaaree becomes full of Brahm Tej and his all Paap are destroyed. He should worship all beings as if he worships Me. Brahmchaaree, Vaanprasthee and Sanyaasee should not see, touch, talk, cut jokes etc with any woman; rather they should leave them alone completely. Shauch (cleanliness); Aachaman (washing mouth from inside); bath; Sandhyaa worship; plain-heartedness; visiting Teerth; Jap; seeing Me in all beings; control on mind, speech and body; all rules are alike for all Brahmchaaree, Vaanprasthee and Sanyaasee. Not touching to untouchables, not eating the uneatable things, and not talking to people to whom they should not talk to - these rules are also for everybody. Brahmchaaree becomes Tejaswee like Agni by following these rules and intense Tapasyaa and he attains me by being my Bhakt.

If somebody does not want to become lifelong Brahmchaaree and wants to enter Grahasth Aashram, then after completing his education of Ved and paying Aachaarya "Guru Dakshinaa", he should do his Samaavartan Sanskaar (ceremony to complete the education or graduation ceremony), and leave Brahmcharya as Snaatak (a graduate whose education is finished). A Brahmchaaaree should enter Grihasth or Vaanprasth only after completing Brahmcharya. If he is a Braahman then he can take Sanyaas also. Or if he wants, he should enter from one Aashram to another only sequentially, but my Bhakt should not live without Aashram, or go into another Aashram in a reverse order. According to his own will, then he should marry a noble family girl. She should be younger to him and from the same Varn. If he wants to, then he can marry to a lower Varn's girl also.

All have right to do Yagya, study and giving alms equally, Taking alms, teaching and doing Yagya for somebody else is the right of only Braahamn. Subsisting upon such means is called Braahman Vritti. But a Braahman should understand that taking alms diminishes Tap, Tej (grace) and fame, so he should live upon only teaching and doing Yagya for others. And if he thinks to live upon these means insufficient, means that even these two ways are not enough for living, thinking himself depending upon others or feeling poverty etc faults, he can live upon remaining grains in farms after harvesting.

Hey Uddhav, To be born in Braahman Varn is very difficult, therefore it is not for enjoying low class pleasures. This is to do Tap, to bear sorrows, to pass difficult times and in the end to attain Moksh. Who protect Braahman, I protect them. Raajaa should take care of his public, and whoever Raajaa does care for his people, he gets free from all Paap and later enjoys pleasures with Indra. If a Braahman cannot subsist on Yagya etc, he can adopt Vaishya Vritti till he is relieved from his bad times. If he has to face a serious emergency, he can even take up the sword but must not do the service to lower Varn, which is called Shwaan Vritti.

In the same way, if a Kshatriya cannot subsist upon his own Karm, then he can take up any trade or Vaishya Vritti. If there is any serious emergency, he can pass his time in hunting, teaching children, but should not take up to serve the lower Varn. Vaishya can also live upon Shoodra Vritti and Shoodra can do "making mats" etc. But Uddhav, All these things are only for emergency periods. After the emergency period is over, one should not be greedy to accept other Varn's professions. A Grihasth should worship My Swaroop - Rishi, Devtaa, Pitar, human-being - through Ved study (Brahm Yagya), Tarpan (Pitra Yagya), Havan (Ved Yagya), Kaak Bali (crow sacrifice) etc (Bhoot Yagya) and Ann Daan (Atithi Yagya - feeding somebody). He should do these Yagya with proper method and justice without giving trouble to anybody. He should use only sudden accidental income or his own earned money.

A Grihasth should not also be too indulged in his Grihasthee (family). Even if he has a large family, then also he should not make mistakes in worshipping me. A knowledgeable person should know this, that as all the things of this Lok are destructible, in the same way, pleasures of Swarg and Par-Lok are also destructible. When we meet here with our wife, son, mother, father, sister, brother etc; it is like meeting with other travelers who are going on their way to their destinations. As the dream lasts only till sleep, the relationship with these people also lasts till our bodies are here. Who do not pass their lives like this, they certainly bind themselves with Karm bonds. A Grihasth Bhakt should stay in the house and worship Me with Grihasth type Karm; if he has a son then he may go to forest or accept Sanyaas Aashram; but involving in it daily is not advisable."

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