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Line 119: − + − + − − === ब्राह्मणः ॥ Brahmana === − According to Manusmrti, the duties prescribed for a brahmana include<blockquote>अध्यापनं अध्ययनं यजनं याजनं तथा । दानं प्रतिग्रहं चैव ब्राह्मणानां अकल्पयत् । । १.८८ । ।<ref name=":0" /></blockquote><blockquote>adhyāpanaṁ adhyayanaṁ yajanaṁ yājanaṁ tathā ।dānaṁ pratigrahaṁ caiva brāhmaṇānāṁ akalpayat । । 1.88 । ।</blockquote>Meaning: For the Brāhmaṇas he ordained teaching, studying, sacrificing and officiating at sacrifices, as also the giving and accepting of gifts (1.88).<ref name=":1" /> − − Talking of the importance of adhering to the Brahmana Varna Dharma, Manusmrti says,<blockquote>आचारः परमो धर्मः श्रुत्युक्तः स्मार्त एव च । तस्मादस्मिन्सदा युक्तो नित्यं स्यादात्मवान्द्विजः । । १.१०८ । ।<ref name=":0" /></blockquote><blockquote>ācāraḥ paramo dharmaḥ śrutyuktaḥ smārta eva ca । tasmādasminsadā yukto nityaṁ syādātmavāndvijaḥ । । 1.108 । ।</blockquote>Meaning: Morality (Right Behaviour) is highest Dharma; that which is prescribed in the shruti and laid down in the Smrti. Hence the twice-born person, desiring the welfare of his soul, should be always intent upon Right Behaviour (1.108). − − It says, the Brahmana studying these institutes, and (thence) discharging all prescribed duties, is never defiled by dosha (accusation) of commission (or omission), proceeding from mind, speech or body (1.104). The Brahmana who departs from Right Behaviour, does not obtain the fruit of the Veda; he however who is equipped with Right Behaviour obtains the full reward (1.109).<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>इदं शास्त्रं अधीयानो ब्राह्मणः शंसितव्रतः । मनोवाग्गेहजैर्नित्यं कर्मदोषैर्न लिप्यते । । १.१०४ । ।</blockquote><blockquote>आचाराद्विच्युतो विप्रो न वेदफलं अश्नुते । आचारेण तु संयुक्तः सम्पूर्णफलभाज्भवेत् । । १.१०९ । ।<ref name=":0" /></blockquote><blockquote>idaṁ śāstraṁ adhīyāno brāhmaṇaḥ śaṁsitavrataḥ । manovāggehajairnityaṁ karmadoṣairna lipyate । । 1.104 । ।</blockquote><blockquote>ācārādvicyuto vipro na vedaphalaṁ aśnute । ācāreṇa tu saṁyuktaḥ sampūrṇaphalabhājbhavet । । 1.109 । ।</blockquote>
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In fact, Vajrasuchika Upaniṣad (Verse 10) says, a true brahmana is one who has established himself in Brahman i.e. Attained moksha.<ref name=":2" /> <blockquote>यः कश्चिदात्मानमद्वितीयं जातिगुणक्रियाहीनं षडूर्मिषड्भावेत्यादिसर्वदोषरहितं सत्यज्ञानानन्दानन्तस्वरूपं स्वयं निर्विकल्पमशेषकल्पाधारशेषभूतान्तर्यामित्वेन वर्तमानमन्तर्यहिश्चाकाशवदनुस्यूतमखण्डानन्द-स्वभावमप्रमेयमनुभवैकवेद्यमपरोक्षतया भासमानं करतलमलकवत्साक्षादपरोक्षीकृत्य कृतार्थतया कामरागादिदोषरहितः शमदमादिसम्पन्नो भावमात्सर्यतृष्णाशामोहादिरहितो दम्भाहङ्कारदिभिरसंस्पृष्टचेता वर्तत एवमुक्तलक्षणो यः स एव ब्राह्मणेति श्रुतिस्मृतीतिहास-पुराणानामभिप्रायः । अन्यथा हि ब्राह्मणत्वसिद्धिर्नास्त्येव ।<ref>[https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D Vajrasuchika Upanishad]</ref></blockquote><blockquote>yaḥ kaścidātmānamadvitīyaṁ jātiguṇakriyāhīnaṁ ṣaḍūrmiṣaḍbhāvetyādisarvadoṣarahitaṁ satyajñānānandānantasvarūpaṁ svayaṁ nirvikalpamaśeṣakalpādhāraśeṣabhūtāntaryāmitvena vartamānamantaryahiścākāśavadanusyūtamakhaṇḍānanda-svabhāvamaprameyamanubhavaikavedyamaparokṣatayā bhāsamānaṁ karatalamalakavatsākṣādaparokṣīkr̥tya kr̥tārthatayā kāmarāgādidoṣarahitaḥ śamadamādisampanno bhāvamātsaryatr̥ṣṇāśāmohādirahito dambhāhaṅkāradibhirasaṁspr̥ṣṭacetā vartata evamuktalakṣaṇo yaḥ sa eva brāhmaṇeti śrutismr̥tītihāsa-purāṇānāmabhiprāyaḥ । anyathā hi brāhmaṇatvasiddhirnāstyeva ।</blockquote>Meaning: Whoever he may be, he who has directly realised his Atma and who is directly cognizant, like the myrobalan in his palm, of his Atma that is without a second, that is devoid of class and actions, that is free from the faults of the six stains and the six changes, that is of the nature of truth, knowledge, bliss, and eternity, that is without any change in itself, that is the substratum of all the kalpas, that exists penetrating all things that pervades everything within and without as akasha , that is of nature of undivided bliss, that cannot be reasoned about and that is known only by direct cognition. He who by the reason of having obtained his wishes is devoid of the faults of thirst after worldly objects and passions, who is the possessor of the qualifications beginning with shama, who is free from emotion, malice, thirst after worldly objects, desire, delusion, etc., whose mind is untouched by pride, egoism, etc., who possesses all these qualities and means he only is the brahmana. Such is the opinion of the vedas, the smrtis, the itihasa and the puranas. Otherwise one cannot obtain the status of a brahmana.<ref>K.Narayanasvami Aiyar (1914), [https://archive.org/details/thirtyminorupani00xxxxuoft/page/n127 Thirty Minor Upanishads], Madras. </ref>
In fact, Vajrasuchika Upaniṣad (Verse 10) says, a true brahmana is one who has established himself in Brahman i.e. Attained moksha.<ref name=":2" /> <blockquote>यः कश्चिदात्मानमद्वितीयं जातिगुणक्रियाहीनं षडूर्मिषड्भावेत्यादिसर्वदोषरहितं सत्यज्ञानानन्दानन्तस्वरूपं स्वयं निर्विकल्पमशेषकल्पाधारशेषभूतान्तर्यामित्वेन वर्तमानमन्तर्यहिश्चाकाशवदनुस्यूतमखण्डानन्द-स्वभावमप्रमेयमनुभवैकवेद्यमपरोक्षतया भासमानं करतलमलकवत्साक्षादपरोक्षीकृत्य कृतार्थतया कामरागादिदोषरहितः शमदमादिसम्पन्नो भावमात्सर्यतृष्णाशामोहादिरहितो दम्भाहङ्कारदिभिरसंस्पृष्टचेता वर्तत एवमुक्तलक्षणो यः स एव ब्राह्मणेति श्रुतिस्मृतीतिहास-पुराणानामभिप्रायः । अन्यथा हि ब्राह्मणत्वसिद्धिर्नास्त्येव ।<ref>[https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D Vajrasuchika Upanishad]</ref></blockquote><blockquote>yaḥ kaścidātmānamadvitīyaṁ jātiguṇakriyāhīnaṁ ṣaḍūrmiṣaḍbhāvetyādisarvadoṣarahitaṁ satyajñānānandānantasvarūpaṁ svayaṁ nirvikalpamaśeṣakalpādhāraśeṣabhūtāntaryāmitvena vartamānamantaryahiścākāśavadanusyūtamakhaṇḍānanda-svabhāvamaprameyamanubhavaikavedyamaparokṣatayā bhāsamānaṁ karatalamalakavatsākṣādaparokṣīkr̥tya kr̥tārthatayā kāmarāgādidoṣarahitaḥ śamadamādisampanno bhāvamātsaryatr̥ṣṇāśāmohādirahito dambhāhaṅkāradibhirasaṁspr̥ṣṭacetā vartata evamuktalakṣaṇo yaḥ sa eva brāhmaṇeti śrutismr̥tītihāsa-purāṇānāmabhiprāyaḥ । anyathā hi brāhmaṇatvasiddhirnāstyeva ।</blockquote>Meaning: Whoever he may be, he who has directly realised his Atma and who is directly cognizant, like the myrobalan in his palm, of his Atma that is without a second, that is devoid of class and actions, that is free from the faults of the six stains and the six changes, that is of the nature of truth, knowledge, bliss, and eternity, that is without any change in itself, that is the substratum of all the kalpas, that exists penetrating all things that pervades everything within and without as akasha , that is of nature of undivided bliss, that cannot be reasoned about and that is known only by direct cognition. He who by the reason of having obtained his wishes is devoid of the faults of thirst after worldly objects and passions, who is the possessor of the qualifications beginning with shama, who is free from emotion, malice, thirst after worldly objects, desire, delusion, etc., whose mind is untouched by pride, egoism, etc., who possesses all these qualities and means he only is the brahmana. Such is the opinion of the vedas, the smrtis, the itihasa and the puranas. Otherwise one cannot obtain the status of a brahmana.<ref>K.Narayanasvami Aiyar (1914), [https://archive.org/details/thirtyminorupani00xxxxuoft/page/n127 Thirty Minor Upanishads], Madras. </ref>
Noting the correlation between varṇa and ashrama, Vaikhanasa Dharmasutra (1.1), notes that brahmaṇa has eligibility to all the four ashramas, kshatriya to three and vaishyas to two.<ref name=":2" /> <blockquote>ब्राह्मणस्याश्रमश्चत्वारः क्षत्रियस्याद्यास्त्रयो वैश्यस्य द्वावेव ... । ''brāhmaṇasyāśramaścatvāraḥ kṣatriyasyādyāstrayo vaiśyasya dvāveva ... ।''<ref>[http://vedicreserve.mum.edu/kalpa/dharma/vaikhanasa_dharma_sutra.pdf Vaikhanasa Dharmasutra]</ref></blockquote>What is important to note here, is that, in a social order derived from and rooted in the conceptual framework of varna individuals would be able to freely pursue their inner-calling and attain complete well-being. Contrary to this, societies with equality and egalitarianism as the core principles, will invariably end up pressuring some sections to gain competencies in skills towards which they may not have any liking to, while some other sections with calling and competencies for the same skills would be pressurized to renounce them, ending up in power plays, envy and frustrations that we call today as “rat’s race”.<ref name=":2" />
Noting the correlation between varṇa and ashrama, Vaikhanasa Dharmasutra (1.1), notes that brahmaṇa has eligibility to all the four ashramas, kshatriya to three and vaishyas to two.<ref name=":2" /> <blockquote>ब्राह्मणस्याश्रमश्चत्वारः क्षत्रियस्याद्यास्त्रयो वैश्यस्य द्वावेव ... । ''brāhmaṇasyāśramaścatvāraḥ kṣatriyasyādyāstrayo vaiśyasya dvāveva ... ।''<ref>[http://vedicreserve.mum.edu/kalpa/dharma/vaikhanasa_dharma_sutra.pdf Vaikhanasa Dharmasutra]</ref></blockquote>What is important to note here, is that, in a social order derived from and rooted in the conceptual framework of varna individuals would be able to freely pursue their inner-calling and attain complete well-being.<ref name=":2" />
== संहृतिः ॥ Synopsis ==
== संहृतिः ॥ Synopsis ==
The varna framework recognizes each individual as a unique person with unique temperaments, capabilities and inner-callings, fulfilling which alone will bring happiness, contentment and spiritual emancipation to that individual. This making of self-actualization, the interplay between svabhava and svadharma as the linchpin of the dharmic vision for a harmonious social order that upholds merit and preserves diversity is perhaps the most important contribution of Sanatana dharma traditions to the world.
The varna framework recognizes each individual as a unique person with unique temperaments, capabilities and inner-callings, fulfilling which alone will bring happiness, contentment and spiritual emancipation to that individual. This making of self-actualization, the interplay between svabhava and svadharma as the linchpin of the dharmic vision for a harmonious social order that upholds merit and preserves diversity is perhaps the most important contribution of Sanatana dharma traditions to the world.<ref name=":2" />
== विषयविस्तारः ॥ Subject Matter ==
== विषयविस्तारः ॥ Subject Matter ==
=== क्षत्रियः ॥ Kshatriya ===
=== क्षत्रियः ॥ Kshatriya ===