TEXT 58
varnasramacara-vata
purusena parah puman
visnur aradhyate pantha
nanyat tat-tosa-karanam
SYNONYMS
varna-asrama-acara-vatawho behaves according to the system of four divisions of social order and four divisions of spiritual life; purusenaby a man; parahthe supreme; pumanperson; visnuhLord Visnu; aradhyateis worshiped; panthaway; nanot; anyatanother; tat-tosa-karanamcause of satisfying the Lord.
TRANSLATION
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, 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."
PURPORT
This is a quotation from the Visnu Purana (3.8.9). As stated by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya: "The purport is that one can realize life's perfection simply by satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead." This is also confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.13):
atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
"O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve, by discharging his prescribed duties [dharma] according to caste divisions and order of life, is to please Lord Hari."
Every man should perform his occupational duty in the light of his particular tendency. According to his abilities, one should accept a position in the varnasrama institution. The divisions of brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra are natural divisions within society. Indeed, everyone has a prescribed duty according to the varnasrama-dharma. Those who properly execute their prescribed duties live peacefully and are not disturbed by material conditions. The spiritual orders-brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa-are called asramas. If one executes his prescribed duty in both the social and spiritual order, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is satisfied. If one neglects his duties, however, he becomes a transgressor and a candidate for a hellish condition. Actually we see that different people are engaged in different ways; therefore there must be divisions according to work. To attain perfection, one must make devotional service the center of life. In this way one can awaken his natural instincts by work, association and education. One should accept the varnasrama divisions by qualification, not by birth. Unless this system is introduced, human activities cannot be systematically executed.
The brahmanas are the intellectuals who can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are always engaged in the cultivation of knowledge. It does not matter whether one is born in India or outside India. Those who are naturally very heroic and who tend to rule over others are called ksatriyas. Those who tend to produce food by agricultural methods, protect cows and other animals and engage in trade are called vaisyas, or merchants. Those who are not sufficiently intelligent to be brahmanas, ksatriyas or vaisyas are required to serve a master and are called sudras. Thus everyone can engage in the service of the Lord and thus awaken his natural Krsna consciousness. If a society does not function according to such natural divisions, the social orders become degraded. The conclusion is that the scientific method of varnasrama-dharma should be adopted by society.

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