Society must be divided
Expressions researched:
"must be division"
|"must be divided"
|"unless divided into the four classes"
|"society"
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 4
As described in Bhagavad-gītā (4.13), human society must be divided into four orders according to quality and work. In every society there must be an intelligent class, administrative class, productive class and worker class
SB 4.14.1, Purport: In this verse the significant word is kṣema-darśinaḥ, which refers to those who are always looking after the welfare of the people in general. All the great sages headed by Bhṛgu were always thinking of how to elevate all the people of the universe to the spiritual platform. Indeed, they advised the kings of every planet to rule the people with that ultimate goal of life in mind. The great sages used to advise the head of the state, or the king, and he used to rule the populace in accordance with their instruction. After the disappearance of King Aṅga, there was no one to follow the instructions of the great sages. Consequently all the citizens became unruly, so much so that they could be compared to animals. As described in Bhagavad-gītā (4.13), human society must be divided into four orders according to quality and work. In every society there must be an intelligent class, administrative class, productive class and worker class. In modern democracy these scientific divisions are turned topsy-turvy, and by vote śūdras, or workers, are chosen for administrative posts. Having no knowledge of the ultimate goal of life, such persons whimsically enact laws without knowledge of life's purpose. The result is that no one is happy.
After many, many births in lower species, when a living entity evolves to the human form of life and in particular to the civilized human form of life, his society must be divided into four gradations, as ordered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in Bhagavad-gītā
SB 4.21.22, Purport: A king is supposed to be appointed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to look after the interests of his particular planet. On every planet there is a predominating person, just as we now see that in every country there is a president. If one is president or king, it should be understood that this opportunity has been given to him by the Supreme Lord. According to the Vedic system, the king is considered a representative of Godhead and is offered respects by the citizens as God in the human form of life. Actually, according to Vedic information, the Supreme Lord maintains all living entities, and especially human beings, to elevate them to the highest perfection. After many, many births in lower species, when a living entity evolves to the human form of life and in particular to the civilized human form of life, his society must be divided into four gradations, as ordered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in Bhagavad-gītā (cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam, etc. [Bg. 4.13]). The four social orders—the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras—are natural divisions of human society, and as declared by Pṛthu Mahārāja, every man in his respective social order must have proper employment for his livelihood. It is the duty of the king or the government to insure that the people observe the social order and that they are also employed in their respective occupational duties. In modern times, since the protection of the government or the king has been withdrawn, social order has practically collapsed. No one knows who is a brāhmaṇa, who is a kṣatriya, who is a vaiśya or who is a śūdra, and people claim to belong to a particular social order by birthright only. It is the duty of the government to reestablish social order in terms of occupational duties and the modes of material nature, for that will make the entire world population actually civilized. If it does not observe the institutional functions of the four social orders, human society is no better than animal society in which there is never tranquillity, peace and prosperity but only chaos and confusion. Mahārāja Pṛthu, as an ideal king, strictly observed the maintenance of the Vedic social order.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Light of the Bhagavata
The human life must be divided into four component parts: the student life, the householder life, the preparative life, and the life of dedication to the service of the Lord
Light of the Bhagavata, text 34, Purport: Foolish politicians are too attached to family life. A big politician means a big family man. An ordinary family man is attached to his limited family of wife and children, but big politicians extend the same family feeling to a wider circle and thus become encumbered by false prestige, honor, and self-interest. The politician never retires from politics, even if he has enjoyed many covetable posts, like those of minister or president. The older he is, the more he is attached to his false prestige. Even at the fag end of his life he thinks that everything will be spoiled without him. He is so foolish that he does not see that many other politicians who thought like him have come and gone, with no gain or loss for want of them. These family men, big and small, are like the small fish in the pools of water that gradually dry up in the autumn. They are foolish because they think that their attachment to their family, even at the end of their lives, will be able to protect them from the cruel hands of death.
As already mentioned, the human life must be divided into four component parts: the student life, the householder life, the preparative life, and the life of dedication to the service of the Lord. One must retire from all sorts of family life, big or small, at the age of fifty, and thus prepare for the next life. That is the process of human culture. The householders are allowed a pension from service so that they can live for a higher cultural life. But foolish men, reluctant even to accept this pension, want to artificially increase the duration of their life. Such foolish men should take lessons from the drying pools of water and should know, in their own interests, that life is eternal, continuing even after death. Only the body changes, whether spiritually or materially. An intelligent man should be careful to know what sort of body is going to be awarded him, and thus he must prepare for a better life in other planets, even if he is reluctant to go back to Godhead.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
The society must be divided—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—and they must execute their proper duty.
Lecture on BG 1.12 -- London, July 13, 1973: Very nice arrangement, Vedic civilization. Everyone is guided by the superior. The brāhmaṇa guides the kṣatriyas, the kṣatriya guides the vaiśyas, and the vaiśya employs the śūdras. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. In this way, four divisions of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they manage the whole society so nicely. The kṣatriyas, as the kṣatriya's business was to give protection to the citizens, similarly, vaiśya's duty was to give protection to the animals. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg. 18.44].
Vaiśya, they should engage themselves in agricultural production and giving protection to the cows, especially mentioned, go-rakṣya. Go-rakṣya, cow protection, is one of the items of state affairs. And now there is no cow protection. Poor cows, they deliver milk, and later on they become slaughtered. How much sinful the modern society is, and they still want peace and prosperity. That is not possible. The society must be divided—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—and they must execute their proper duty. And the vaiśyas, they should give protection to the cows. And the śūdras, they should work under the direction of the higher three divisions. In this way there will be nice management.
Society must be divided into four classes... As we have got four divisions in ...brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra must be there. And each one should serve according to his guṇa-karma, quality and capacity to work.
Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973: Kula-dharma, this family tradition, is not meant for the cats and dogs. If you live like cats... [break] ...there is no question of family tradition. But if you live, want to live like human being, manuṣyāṇāṁ, then this system must be... [break] ...puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān [Cc. Madhya 8.58]. Catur-vārṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. Then society must be divided into four classes... As we have got four divisions in [break] ...brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra must be there. [break] And each one should serve according to his guṇa-karma, quality and capacity to work. Then the whole society is organized... [break] ...will be perfect, there will be peace... [break] ...no war, nothing of the sort, and gradually making progress back to home, back to Godhead. Otherwise it will be chaos...
The whole human civilization should be based on this principle. There must be division. The division is already there. They should be coordinated, systematized.
Lecture on BG 1.44 -- London, July 31, 1973: Therefore perfect human society means... First of all there must be this division, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. And when they act the duties of that particular position, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection of life. It doesn't matter whether you are a śūdra or you are a brāhmaṇa, but if you act for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa according to the prescription of your position, then your life is perfect. That is wanted. The whole human civilization should be based on this principle. There must be division. The division is already there. They should be coordinated, systematized. Not that everyone is brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means the intelligent man. So we should pick up the intelligent men. They should be trained as brāhmaṇa. Those who are martial, having fighting spirit, they should be selected as kṣatriya. Those who are for increasing money, mercantile mentality, they should be also collected. Similarly, śūdras. And they should be trained, everyone, to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhiṁ hari-toṣaṇam [SB 1.2.13].
The society must be divided into four classes of men.
Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975: One who is advanced in knowledge, in civilization, they are called ārya, Aryan civilization. So in the Aryan civilization there are four divisions to maintain the society in the correct balance. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. The society must be divided into four classes of men. The first-class means most intelligent class of men. They should be trained up as brāhmaṇa. Śamo damaḥ satyaṁ śaucaṁ titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg. 18.42]. So this is the beginning of civilization, not that all śūdras as it is now in this age. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Kali-yuga, there is no training how to qualify a section of person to become first-class brāhmaṇa. That training is not there, neither kṣatriya, neither pure vaiśya class.
Human society must be divided into four classes of men. Just like in our body, there are four different departments: the brain department, the hand department, the belly department, and the leg department. You require all these.
Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Edinburgh, July 16, 1972: According to Vedic system, there are four classes of men in the society. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. Human society must be divided into four classes of men. Just like in our body, there are four different departments: the brain department, the hand department, the belly department, and the leg department. You require all these. If the body is to be maintained, then you must maintain properly your head, your arms, your belly, and leg. The cooperation. You have heard many times the caste system of India: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. This is not artificial. It is natural. In any society you go, not only in India, in any other country, these four classes of men are there. Intelligent class of men, administrator class of men, productive class of men, and laborer class of men. You call it by different names, but there must be such division. As I told you, there are divisions in my own body—the brain department, the arms department, the belly department, and the leg department. So all the kings, they belong to the arms department for protection of the people. So formerly, the kṣatriyas..., kṣatriya means one who gives protection to the citizens from being harmed by other enemies. That is called kṣatriya.
Actually, the human society must be divided into four parts. Four divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra.
Lecture on BG 2.31 -- London, September 1, 1973: Every government is encouraging people how to become śūdra. But actually, the human society must be divided into four parts. Four divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. Just like in our body there is division. The head department, the arms department, the belly department and the leg department. You cannot say, "Let there be only leg department. There is no use of head and arms and belly." Will that go on nicely? If your body, you cut off all other parts and simply keep the legs, will that be very nice proposal? Leg is required. But if you keep the body only by the legs, then this kind of body is dead body. Any part of the body. Especially the head. If you cut off the head then the body is altogether dead. You can cut off the arms, you can cut off the legs, but it is very difficult to cut off the belly also. Then it will be dead.
As in your body there are divisions, the brain division, the arm division, the belly division, and the leg division, similarly the human society must be divided like the scientific divisions.
Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Delhi, November 10, 1971: Just like brāhmaṇa is considered to be the brain. A man may be very healthy body, but the, if the brain is cracked, this body will not help. Everything is spoiled. So at the present moment there is no brain, there is no brāhmaṇa, neither there is kṣatriya, simply śūdras and vaiśyas, mostly śūdras. So, as in your body there are divisions, the brain division, the arm division, the belly division, and the leg division, similarly the human society must be divided like the scientific divisions. A section of people must be very intelligent class of men, brāhmaṇa. A section of people may be very strong, kṣatriyas, politicians, fighters. A section of people must be producers, the vaiśyas, and a section of people must be śūdras, or the legs. Just as compared with your body. The full body means, the head, the arms, the belly and the legs. If you say that there is, there is no need of head, is that very bodily sound? It is dead body. It is dead body. So, our propaganda is that we want to make a section of people brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means one who knows Brahman. That is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
There must be division of four classes. One class must be brāhmaṇa, intelligent class of men. And one should be kṣatriya, one class, the administrators.
Lecture on BG 4.13 -- New York, April 8, 1973: This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. How, we are helping people how to get out of this material body, and revive your own spiritual body and, in that spiritual body, you go back to home, back to Godhead. This is the process. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. But people are so attracted to this material body that they are prepared to become cats and dogs next life, but they are not prepared to go back to home, back to Godhead. This is the problem.
So why this problem? Because the human society is in chaos. A chaotic condition. There must be division of four classes. One class must be brāhmaṇa, intelligent class of men. And one should be kṣatriya, one class, the administrators. Because human society, they require good consulting brain, good administrators, good producers and good worker. That is the division of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: catur varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam [Bg. 4.13]. In order to keep smooth facilities for human life, there must be four divisions. If you say that don't, "We don't require brāhmaṇa,"... If you don't require brāhmaṇa, then you'll suffer.
So long we are in the material world, it is not possible to make everyone on the same standard. It is not possible because each and everyone is working under the influence of different modes of nature. Therefore there must be division, natural division.
Lecture on BG 4.13-14 -- New York, August 1, 1966: Prabhupāda:
- ...mayā sṛṣṭaṁ
- guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ
- tasya kartāram api māṁ
- viddhy akartāram avyayam
- [Bg. 4.13]
The human society must be divided into four divisions. Not four division, eight divisions, varṇāśrama.
Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974: Therefore in the human form of life we must perform yajña. Yajña means to satisfy the Supreme Lord. Yajñārthe, for the sake of the Supreme Lord, for satisfying Him, that is our business.
So to do that business in the previous verse it has been prescribed that the human society should be divided into four classes of men. There are, but they should be systematically divided. Just like in any office there are departments. Without departmental work, nothing can be successful. Anywhere you go, either in the law court or in the office or anywhere, there must be departments. Similarly, the human society must be divided into four divisions. Not four division, eight divisions, varṇāśrama.
There must be division, because it is ordained by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How we can violate?
Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974: It doesn't matter one is śūdra or one is brāhmaṇa, but everyone has got the facility to become connected in relationship with the Supreme Lord.
- māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
- ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
- striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
- te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim
- [Bg. 9.32]
Parāṁ gatim, that is open for everyone. It is not that because one is śūdra or one is caṇḍāla, he is not allowed to enter into the kingdom of God. Only the brāhmaṇas are allowed. No, it is not like that. The same thing, same example, that in the body there are four divisions: the head division, the arm division, the belly division, and the leg division. It is not that only the head get the facilities of living condition. No. Everyone.
But there must be division. That is scientific. Otherwise the human life will be spoiled. That I have tried to explain last night. There must be division, because it is ordained by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How we can violate? There must be the brahminical class, the kṣatriya class, the vaiśya class and the śūdra class. Then everything will be maintained very proficiently.So one who defends or protects from injury, that person also should be there in the society, kṣatriya. So on this basis the society must be divided.
Lecture on BG 4.19 -- Bombay, April 8, 1974: So kāma-saṅkalpa-vivarjitāḥ. Yasya sarve samārambhāḥ. You can act. We must always remember, this acting has begun... Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. First of all, the acting should begin according to guṇa and karma. Not that everything will be done by everyone. No.
Suppose if I want to do some engineering work. That is not possible for me. I must take help of an engineer. But if one wants to understand something about Bhagavad-gītā, about the spiritual movement, he may consult me. Therefore, the society must be divided into four divisions. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. There must be a class of men very intelligent, brahminical class. They should also work just like brāhmaṇa. The kṣatriya, they should work just like kṣatriya. Because there will be some violence. Kṣat. So one who defends or protects from injury, that person also should be there in the society, kṣatriya. So on this basis the society must be divided. But at the present moment, because everything is lost, now simply śūdras are there, therefore the common medicine is prescribed:
- harer nāma harer nāma
- harer nāmaiva kevalam
- kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
- nāsty eva gatir anyathā
- [Cc. Ādi 17.21]
For upkeep of the human society in order, according to the quality and work there must be division.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Fiji, May 24, 1975: So in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya. As soon as we are in the material world, we are under the influence either of these three guṇas: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Those who are purely in association with the modes of goodness, sattva-guṇa, they are considered as brāhmaṇa. And those who are associated with the rajo-guṇa, passion, they are called kṣatriyas. And those who are associating with the tamo-guṇa, ignorance, they are called the śūdras. And the mixture of tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa is the position of the vaiśya. In this way, there are four divisions of men everywhere. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. According to the association of particular type of modes of nature and working in that way, it makes a division of the human society. That is required. For upkeep of the human society in order, according to the quality and work there must be division. But that is not that division as we are thinking at the present moment in India—a man is born in the brāhmaṇa family, he is brāhmaṇa. No. He must have the brahminical qualification. That is first consideration.
So according to these three modes of material nature, there must be division of the society.
Lecture on BG 18.41 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973: Kṛṣṇa says that either on this planet or in other planets in the outer space, or anywhere, the three qualities or three modes of material nature is working. The modes of goodness, the modes of passion, and the modes of ignorance. Everywhere, you'll find these three classes of living entities. Not three classes, four classes. The first-class, goodness. Second-class, passion, third-class, mixed passion and ignorance, and fourth-class ignorance. And below the fourth class, all fifth class, pañcama. So according to these three modes of material nature, there must be division of the society. The first class men are called brāhmaṇa, most learned scholar.
So no part of society is unimportant provided there is cooperation. But there must be division, first-class, second class, third class, fourth-class. There must be division.
Lecture on BG 18.41 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973: How many human beings are there out of 8,400,000 species of life? A few only. Only 400,000 species. This information we get from the śāstras, Vedic literature. Bhagavad-gītā is the summary of all Vedic literature. Therefore, it is advised here that how the first-class of men should be trained up. How the second-class men should be trained up, how the third-class men should be trained up and how the fourth-class men should be trained up. Not that everyone should become first-class. Even everyone is not first-class, because there is cooperation, there is no distinction between first-class and third-class or fourth-class, the same example. Just like if there is some disease on my leg, it does not mean that I shall neglect, I shall take care of the head only. No. I spend more money to cure the disease of the leg. May not be I don't spend any money for the head. So no part of society is unimportant provided there is cooperation. But there must be division, first-class, second class, third class, fourth-class. There must be division. Without division, as there is division anywhere you go, in office, there are the head department, the directors, they are working in a different atmosphere. There must be division, there is already division, you cannot avoid it. Because the material nature is working in three modes of material nature. So anyone who is in the modes of goodness, he's not equal to the person who is in the modes of ignorance. That is not possible. There is difference, but they should be trained up in such a way that they can cooperate to understand the (this) Absolute Truth. That is first-class society. That is real perfect human society.
So the society must be divided as suggested in Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literature. There must be four varṇas and four āśramas, ideal.
Lecture on BG 18.45 -- Durban, October 11, 1975: So the society must be divided as suggested in Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literature, that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. There must be four varṇas and four āśramas, ideal. Then you may be a śūdra, you may be a gṛhastha, or you may be a brāhmaṇa. Everyone will get salvation, everyone attain the perfection, if we adopt this process. So there must be one class of men, first-class men, ideal, that people will learn that "Here is an ideal class of men. Let me try to imitate or follow them." But there is no ideal men now, at the present moment. Everyone is śūdra. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Then how the society will be happy? It is not possible because there is no ideal men. So here Kṛṣṇa says that we should create, we should educate a section of men who are by brāhmaṇa, by guṇa, and karma, not by birth. Then society will be happy.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So society must be divided in the material stage of this brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And gradually, everyone should be educated to become brāhmaṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974: So for proper upkeep of the human society, there must be a brahminical class, brāhmaṇa class, the kṣatriya class. They are all equal because my hand is as much important as my brain. But although comparatively my brain is more important than my hand, that is comparative. But you require the brain. So at the present moment, why the society is chaotic condition? Because there is no brāhmaṇa. That is the defect. So society must be divided in the material stage of this brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And gradually, everyone should be educated to become brāhmaṇa. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahma-bhūtaḥ. Then he will understand what is bhakti.
The society must be divided into four classes for cooperation.
Lecture on SB 1.2.14 -- Los Angeles, August 17, 1972: This body is beautiful, very attractive, very important, so long that spiritual spark is there. Otherwise it is stool, ash and earth. They do not know this.
So this requires intelligence. That intelligence is divided into this varṇāśrama-dharma. There must be intelligent class of men, brāhmaṇa. They are called intelligent class of men. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam [Bg. 4.13]. The society must be divided into four classes for cooperation—I have explained yesterday. So at the present moment, two classes are wanting: the brāhmaṇa class and the kṣatriya class. The vaiśya class and the śūdra class and less than śūdra class are there. Because in the Kali-yuga, it is stated, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Kalau, in this age, most, major portion of the population will be śūdras. Śūdras means fourth-class men.
The society must be divided. There is division already, natural. We have to simply pick out, that "This boy is brāhmaṇa, this boy is kṣatriya, this boy is vaiśya, and this boy is śūdra."
Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973: In India, because still there are some kṣatriyas, there is no such draft board. The kṣatriya class, they would come forward to be recruited by the military department. They will not go away. They will be very glad to accept military service, because in their blood the kṣatriya spirit is there. In India there is no scarcity to find out a fighter. But when people are trained as śūdra, how he can fight? Therefore it is very scientific. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. The society must be divided. There is division already, natural. We have to simply pick out, that "This boy is brāhmaṇa, this boy is kṣatriya, this boy is vaiśya, and this boy is śūdra." So they should be given separate employment. Then there will be peace. If a person is employed according to his natural tendency, he becomes successful, he becomes successful. But if you give some employment, just like to put a cart before a horse, like that, no, that will not be successful.
There must be division. But people are very much anxious to make classless society, no division. And that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness society. We have no such division.
Lecture on SB 1.9.3 -- Los Angeles, May 17, 1973: One must be qualified. Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ.
Vibhāgaśaḥ. There must be division. But people are very much anxious to make classless society, no division. And that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness society. We have no such division. Division means under the jurisdiction of the three modes of material nature. That is division. Otherwise, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, these divisions are calculated when one is under the control of the material nature. But if you become devotee, the material nature has no more any control over you. That is the difference between a perfect Kṛṣṇa conscious person and a perfect, I mean to say, mundane person. The difference is that a Kṛṣṇa conscious, a devotee, is no more under the influence of the three modes of material nature. But ordinarily, everyone should be..., is—"he should be" not.(?) He is under the control. Therefore they are called dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ, the best of the brāhmaṇas. Even a brāhmaṇa is also under the control of material nature. But the same brāhmaṇa, when he becomes a Vaiṣṇava, a devotee, he becomes the best of the brāhmaṇas. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. Or he becomes ṛṣi. Viprarṣe. Rathena. Rathena. They were not walking, all these respectable personalities, brāhmaṇas and bhagavān.
All these qualities must be divided amongst the whole population. Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā we have got the direction from the Supreme Lord, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13].
Lecture on SB 1.16.25 -- Hawaii, January 21, 1974: Prabhupāda: Now, truthfulness is a, nowadays, is a matter of dream only. There is no truthfulness. Everyone is... Beginning from the president and down to the ordinary man in the street, nobody is truthful. Now the president in your country is being questioned so many ways because he has proved himself not truthful. So this is a forgotten story, truthfulness. That is brahminical qualification. All these qualifications are mentioned. It is not possible to acquire all the qualities by one man. That is not possible. Just like we divide some... If there is something to be done, we divide the task, "Mr. You, you do this. And you, you do this. You do this." Similarly, all these qualities must be divided amongst the whole population. Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā we have got the direction from the Supreme Lord, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. One man cannot be... Suppose a businessman. A businessman, he cannot become strictly truthful. That is not possible. A politician, he cannot become actually truthful. Then the whole business will be spoiled. Everyone... Suppose you go to a store. The storekeeper says, "Oh, you are my dear friend. I will not take any profit from you. I will give you at cost price. You take." So you believe, But actually, how it is possible to give at cost price? How he'll maintain the business establishment? I know that he's speaking untruth, still, I accept, "Oh, he is very truthful." So there are so many things.
There must be division; otherwise it's chaotic. Nowhere you'll find without division it is going on very smoothly. There must be division.
Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- New York, March 5, 1975: So this human society should be divided into eight divisions. That is first-class human society. Just like any organization, any establishment, there are divisions of labor. The directing board, board of directors there are, then the secretarial board, then ordinary clubs, then menial, then workers. There must be division; otherwise it's chaotic. Nowhere you'll find without division it is going on very smoothly. There must be division. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. It is ordered by God that there should be four divisions for the materialistic condition of life and four divisions for spiritual upliftment. So there must be the brāhmaṇa, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam [Bg. 4.13]. Varṇa means four divisions of society. Varṇa means class. It has been taken now as caste; but actually class. Class is not caste.
Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement includes this, that cātur-varṇyaṁ māyā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. There must be division. There may be only a few number of brāhmaṇas, but there must be ideal brāhmaṇas.
Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Bombay, March 23, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal: It is not possible, of course, to realize Brahman by everyone. That is not possible. But there must be an ideal institution. Unfortunately, at the present moment it is very difficult to find out where is that ideal brāhmaṇa, but there must be. Kṛṣṇa says. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement includes this, that cātur-varṇyaṁ māyā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. There must be division. There may be only a few number of brāhmaṇas, but there must be ideal brāhmaṇas so that people may learn that "Here is the first-class brāhmaṇa. Here is the first-class man. Let us take instruction from him, not from so-called politicians." This is Indian civilization. Don't think... Formerly even Lord Rāmacandra, who was the king... He is God Himself. Still, He used to consult learned brāhmaṇas, sages, saintly persons, for governmental duties. The division must be there.
Yajña means we have to satisfy the Supreme Person. That is called yajña. And this process can be executed when the human society is very regulated. Regulated means there must be division of these varṇas and āśramas.
Lecture on SB 3.25.3 -- Bombay, November 3, 1974: Everything, the origin is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Yajña. Yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ. Yajña means we have to satisfy the Supreme Person. That is called yajña. And this process can be executed when the human society is very regulated. Regulated means there must be division of these varṇas and āśramas. Varṇa means four varṇas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. They have got their respective duties. So unless the human society is divided into these eight scientific divisions and everyone acts according to his position, there cannot be any peace in the world. That is called varṇāśrama.
So human life must be divided into four orders, varṇāśrama-dharma.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- London, August 30, 1971: The Battle of Kurukṣetra between the two section of cousin-brothers, the Kauravas and the Pāṇḍavas, took place under the guidance of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa five thousand years ago. And in that battlefield, Kṛṣṇa instructed Arjuna, His friend, the great book of knowledge, Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā. So human life must be divided into four orders, varṇāśrama-dharma. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is said,
- varṇāśramācāravatā
- puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān
- viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā
- nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam
- [Cc. Madhya 8.58]
In order to realize the highest goal of life there must be division in the society and there must be division in spiritual life.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975: The human society should be divided into four groups. What is that? The first-class men. There are first-class, second-class, third-class, fourth-class men. We have got our experience. Not that everyone is equally intelligent. No. There is difference of classification or intelligence or genuineness. There are so many things, division. So here also you have got division, classification. That is natural.
So first-class, the first-class men, means they should be trained as brāhmaṇa, at least one class of men. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam [Bg. 4.13]. In order to realize the highest goal of life there must be division in the society and there must be division in spiritual life. The social life is divided into brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Brāhmaṇa means the most intelligent class of men, one who can understand God. That is brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. First-class man means not first-class dress. First-class man means he has got full knowledge: jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg. 18.42].
So there must be division. A brāhmaṇa can kill anyone simply by words. He is so powerful. But he does not do that.
Lecture on SB 5.5.20 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1976: When Paraśurāma killed eleven..., twenty-one times all the kṣatriyas, his father chastised him that "This is not the business of a brāhmaṇa. My dear son, you are so angry, you have killed all the kṣatriyas and you have killed Kārtavīryārjuna by anger. Oh, you have done great sinful activities. It is not the business of the brāhmaṇa. Therefore you should retire for some time and go to holy places to counteract your sinful activities." This was spoken to Paraśurāma by his father.
So there must be division. A brāhmaṇa can kill anyone simply by words. He is so powerful. But he does not do that. When Viśvāmitra was disturbed by Taraka Rākṣasī in the forest, he came to Dasaratha Mahārāja for help. He could kill that Taraka Rākṣasī simply by his word, but he would not do that. This is not brāhmaṇa's business. He wanted to take the help of a kṣatriya and kill the rākṣasī. Kṣatriya can kill. Brāhmaṇa can take charity. A kṣatriya can exact taxes, and vaiśya be engaged in producing food grains. Kṛṣi gorakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg 18.44]. This is civilization. Aryan civilization means the division must be there. Kṛṣṇa personally says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma [Bg. 4.13]. The varṇāśrama must be there because the whole aim is how to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because the Supreme Personality of Godhead has to be satisfied.
The human society must be divided into four classes: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. He says. That is bhāgavata-dharma.
Lecture on SB 6.2.2 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1975: Dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. Otherwise it is not dharma; it is cheating. Otherwise, why Kṛṣṇa said sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]? Because that is bhāgavata-dharma. Bhagavān is speaking. Therefore, what Bhagavān is speaking, that is in relationship with Bhagavān. Therefore it is called bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata means in relationship with God, or Bhagavān. Bhāgavata-śabda and then Bhāgavata. That is dharma. So bhāgavata-dharma. Dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. Dharma does no mean I manufacture at my home some religion and it becomes dharma. No. That kind of religion is rejected. Dharmaḥ projjhita kaivato 'tra: "That kind of cheating religion is rejected." Projjhita. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita. That is not religion. Religion is for... Religion means the relationship between Bhagavān and me, or everything. Bhāgavata-dharma. So the Bhāgavata-dharma is spoken by Bhagavān Himself, Bhagavad-gītā. So He says that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. The human society must be divided into four classes: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. He says. That is bhāgavata-dharma. If you abolish this, everyone is śūdra, no brāhmaṇa. That brāhmaṇa means guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ-guṇa, quality and action, not by birth. He never says, "by birth." Anyone who is qualified... Just like in ordinary life, anyone who is a qualified medical man, he is given the title "doctor," "medical practice," not that a doctor's son is necessarily a doctor. Even if he is a son of a doctor, still, he has to be educated as a medical man, then he will be accepted as doctor. This is bhāgavata-dharma. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam [Bg. 4.13].
So this is essential that the human society must be divided into four divisions.
Lecture on SB Lecture -- Melbourne, May 19, 1975: Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. The human society, by the will of God there are four classes of men. The first-class is the brāhmaṇa; the second-class, the kṣatriya; the third-class, the vaiśyas; and all others, fourth-class, śūdras. So at the present moment, practically there is no brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya, no vaiśya, only śūdras, fourth-class men. So you cannot expect any happiness guided by the fourth-class men. That is not possible. Therefore throughout the whole world there is chaotic condition. Nobody is happy. So this is essential that the human society must be divided into four divisions. The brāhmaṇa class means the first-class ideal men, so that by the seeing their character, their behavior, others will try to follow. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ [Bg. 3.21]. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to create some first-class men. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this movement. So therefore we have got these rules and regulation: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. This is the preliminary qualification of a first-class man. So we are trying our bit to make some men ideal first-class men. But formerly it was there. Catur... Still there is.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The society must be divided... By natural way, it is divided: the intelligent class, the administrator class, the productive class, and the worker class. And they should cooperate. Then the society's perfect.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972: According to different qualities—goodness, passion, ignorance—there are different divisions of the society, cātur-varṇyam. The brāhmaṇa. The brāhmaṇa means most learned. Most learned means one who knows the Absolute Truth, brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ. So there must be a section of the learned. There must be a section of the administrators, kṣatriyas. There must be a section, productive. (aside:) It is... It is disturbing me... And there must be a section, worker. So cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. The society must be divided... By natural way, it is divided: the intelligent class, the administrator class, the productive class, and the worker class. And they should cooperate. Then the society's perfect. The same example: Just like in your body you have got divisions, the head division, the arms division, the belly division and the leg division. It is not that leg is less important than the head. But leg is... Head is most important. Without head, the arms, the belly, or the leg cannot work. So there should be cooperation. But the division must be there. This is the vision of Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa conscious persons. They do not say it is false. They utilize everything for the purpose of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Most scientific and authorized movement. Trying to place people in his original, constitutional position and cooperate for the service of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
The human society must be divided into four classes of divisions, or divisions, catur-varṇya: the brāhmaṇa, the kṣatriya, the vaiśya, and the śūdra.
Arrival Address -- New York, April 5, 1973: So this movement is meant for awakening the dormant love of God. So the subject matter is very serious. We are distributing the subject matter in so many books. We have already big, big books, about twenty books, and small books also. Just now one book published, "Rāja-vidyā, the King of Knowledge." There are different kinds of knowledges. But as there are different types of citizens but in the state there is a king or the president, similarly, there are different types of knowledge, but we are distributing the king of knowledge, God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So the necessity of this movement is that we are creating brain. At the present moment the human society is lacking brain. Exactly they are living like cats and dogs, not with human brain. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. The human society must be divided into four classes of divisions, or divisions, catur-varṇya: the brāhmaṇa, the kṣatriya, the vaiśya, and the śūdra. Brāhmaṇa means the most intelligent class of men, and kṣatriya means administrators, and the vaiśya means mercantile people, and śūdra means ordinary workers. All of them are required proportionately.
General Lectures
The society must be divided into four classes of orders.
Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972: So actually we are begetting like cats and dogs, and how can you expect peace and prosperity in the society of cats and dogs or hogs? It is not possible. So in this age especially, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. The population is increasing simply śūdras. But there is great necessity of brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas. There are some population who are vaiśyas and śūdras, but practically the civilization is going on in the hands of vaiśyas and śūdras. I don't mean that brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdras by birth-right; by qualification. These are all explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. The society must be divided into four classes of orders. There must be intelligent class of men, who are called brāhmaṇas. They must give spiritual education to society. Not that everyone should remain laborer and work hard day and night like hogs and dogs for sense gratification. It is a very dangerous civilization. You cannot expect any peace and prosperity in this type of civilization. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very, very essential, very, very essential. I am very glad to inform you that this movement is being especially received in the Western countries by the younger generation. I am very much hopeful. I am old man of seventy-six years age. Now, I can pass away at any moment, but I am confident that my disciples, who are mostly Europeans and Americans, they will continue this movement, and I wish there will be considerable change on the face of the globe.
The human society must be divided into four classes of men. That is perfect human society.
Lecture -- Jakarta, February 27, 1973: So in the human society the topmost class of men are considered the brāhmaṇas. As it is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. The human society must be divided into four classes of men. That is perfect human society. First-class men, second-class men, third-class men, and the fourth-class men. And after these fourth-class men, they're all fifth class, pañcama. So the first-class men are the brāhmaṇas, qualified brāhmaṇas, śamo damaḥ titikṣava, ārjava. And the second-class men are the kṣatriyas. The third-class men are the vaiśyas. And the fourth-class men, they are called śūdras. And the fifth-class, below the fifth-class, they are called pañcama or caṇḍāla. This is Vedic division of human society. So Kṛṣṇa is worshiped by the brāhmaṇas; therefore He's called brahmaṇye, or who gives protection to the brahminical culture.
Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—that is the natural division. The society must be divided... Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13].
Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974: The Vedic civilization is varṇāśrama-dharma. If the varṇāśrama-dharma is not properly protected, then there will be population who are called varṇa-saṅkara, mixed population. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—that is the natural division. The society must be divided... Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. (aside:) There is no need. The natural division... Just like you have got natural division in your body: the head, the arms, the belly and the legs, similarly, social divisions, there is. Some of them are very intelligent men, class of men, and some of them are martial-spirited persons, and some of them are interested in trades and industry, and some of them are interested only for filling up the belly. So this is natural division. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam. If this cātur-varṇyaṁ, this division... The most intelligent class of men, they should be trained up as brāhmaṇa. Śamo damo titikṣa ārjava jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg. 18.42]. The social division must be there.
Philosophy Discussions
The ultimate end is spiritual, but if the social order is not organized, then spiritual order is also disorganized. So there must be division of labor and activities.
Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner and Henry David Thoreau:
Prabhupāda: That is Vedic system, to control the whole mass of people in classification. The intelligent class, the administrative class, the productive class, and the worker class, and less than them, and in their respective position, if they cooperate for the common cause, that becomes a perfect society. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya... Therefore this system is called varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśrama, social order and spiritual order. The ultimate end is spiritual, but if the social order is not organized, then spiritual order is also disorganized. So there must be division of labor and activities.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
So unless the human being follows this varṇāśrama principle he's not a human being. He's animal, because animal has no varṇa, no āśrama. The human society must be divided. Then, just like in this body there are four divisions—the head division, the arms division, the belly division, and the leg division—all these are required for complete body.
Room Conversation with Indonesian Scholar -- February 27, 1973, Jakarta:
Prabhupāda: It is not the question of Hindu, Muslim. Any intelligent man will take it. Suppose if you want to be a great mathematician does it mean that you must be a Hindu or Christian or Mohammedan?
Scholar: But by using threads, attributes of Hindu religion...
Prabhupāda: No, actually... Hindu, the word is not to be found in our Vedic scripture. It is the name given by the Mohammedans. So that is going on. Actually it is called varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas, four āśrama. The four varṇas, the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And four āśramas-brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Combined together it is called varṇāśrama. So unless the human being follows this varṇāśrama principle he's not a human being. He's animal, because animal has no varṇa, no āśrama. The human society must be divided. Then, just like in this body there are four divisions—the head division, the arms division, the belly division, and the leg division—all these are required for complete body. Although, by comparative study, head is the most important department, but still the leg is not... that we don't require leg. Leg is also required. Similarly, the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they're required to function the society perfectly. That is varṇa. And similarly, for spiritual emancipation there must be the division: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. So unless you accept this institution perfectly you cannot develop your consciousness as perfect human being.
Scholar: This divisions only in Hindus?
Prabhupāda: No, this division is meant for everyone.There must be division. Just like naturally we have got division. The whole object is to keep the body fit, but there is division: the head division, the arm division, the stomach division, and the leg division. So similarly, there must be four classes of men in the society:
Garden Conversation with Mahadeva's Mother and Jesuit Priest -- July 25, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: When he was taking LSD, did you like that?
Mother: I didn't know, did I?
Prabhupāda: Then?
Mother: Until afterwards, and we found him.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Mother: And this is it.
Prabhupāda: So there must be division for upkeep of the soc... That is missing. At the present moment, there is no division.
Mother: But he had a false religious experience, due to the LSD.
Prabhupāda: No, I am talking generally, not of him, that everything must be, there must be division. Just like naturally we have got division. The whole object is to keep the body fit, but there is division: the head division, the arm division, the stomach division, and the leg division. So similarly, there must be four classes of men in the society: the intelligent class of men, the administrator class of men, the productive class of men, and the laborer class of men. Everything is required. But not that the intelligent class of man has to learn the business of the laborer class of men. That is not required. Just try to understand. The laborer class of men, they are required. But one who is intelligent class, he, he cannot be trained up as laborer, ordinary laborer in the factory. That is mistake. He must work according to his capacity. If he's intelligent, he must be preacher, he must be God conscious. He would educate people that "This eating, sleeping is not all. There is God. You should understand. You have got a relationship with Him. If you want to have better life next, then you must become God conscious, you must be sinless." These things are required in the society.We simply follow the standard policy. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now, everything is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, how to become a brāhmaṇa, how to become a kṣatriya, how to become a vaiśya, how to become a śūdra, or how to remain less important than the śūdras. The societies must be divided in different divisions. They should work conjointly...
Room Conversation with Mister Popworth and E. F. Schumacher -- July 26, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: Yes. You can defend your theory but that will not help purification of the society. That will not help. Take it for granted. You can make so many theories but if you remain impure, if you are not God conscious, all these theories will be useless. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā mano-rathe... [SB 5.18.12]. This is simply mental speculation. Mano-rathena, hovering on the mental plane, you can jump from this to that, but that will not solve the problem. Mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ. So we do not act on mental speculation. It may be our credit or discredit. That is different thing. We simply follow the standard policy. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now, everything is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, how to become a brāhmaṇa, how to become a kṣatriya, how to become a vaiśya, how to become a śūdra, or how to remain less important than the śūdras. The societies must be divided in different divisions. They should work conjointly...
So similarly the society must be divided: the brain of the society, the arms of the society, the belly of the society and the legs of the society. That will make perfection.
Room Conversation with Banker -- September 21, 1973, Bombay:
Banker: Welfare. Payment to people who don't work.
Prabhupāda: No, everyone should work. Our Vedic philosophy is that everyone must work. But there must be division of work. Just like in your body there are different parts. The head department, the arms department, the belly department, and the legs department. These are different parts. So all these departments must work for the total benefit of the body. That is our philosophy. Nobody should sit idle. But he must work according to his capacity. Brain must work for giving direction. Hand must work for giving protection. Belly must work for supplying food, energy. And leg must work for carrying the body. So similarly the society must be divided: the brain of the society, the arms of the society, the belly of the society and the legs of the society. That will make perfection. The brain will give direction That is the brāhmaṇas. The arms will give protection. That is the kṣatriya. And the belly will give energy, food, that is vaiśya. And the legs will carry the body. That is śūdra. This is... Whole society should be divided into four divisions, the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas and the śūdras. And they should work cooperatively for the total benefit of the body. This is perfect life. Not that everyone should be brain. Then who will carry me? Just like in your bank, the manager is the brain. The secretaries and assistants are the hands, clerks. And ordinary worker, they are legs. Anywhere you go, you must find out these four divisions. Therefore the human society must be divided into four divisions. But there is no such plan. Now the plan is that everyone is being educated to learn technology, how to... In your country, especially. How to make economic development. So they have no brain. Therefore there are hippies. There is no brain actually.The society must be divided into four classes. That is brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra.
Room Conversation with Banker -- September 21, 1973, Bombay:
Banker: Well, there are metaphysics departments in almost every university.
Prabhupāda: Metaphysics department is there. I was also a student of philosophy. That is theories only. Of course, they are trying, psychology, metaphysics, ethics. You were also a student of philosophy?
Banker: I took some courses. My major courses were in business. But I took some in philosophy, ethic, logic.
Prabhupāda: So apart from that metaphysical, from this worldly platform, there must be divisions. Just like in your bank, if everyone is manager, that is not possible. There must be clerks and other assistants. So that is required. The society must be divided into four classes. That is brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra.
Banker: My question is how does one determine into which part he goes?
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is by tendency. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. By the tendency. Therefore one has to approach the spiritual master. He will give direction that "This boy is meant for becoming a brāhmaṇa." Everyone has got some tendency. From the tendency it should be designated. Or by work.1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
The main aim is how to maintain this body perfectly, fit. That should be the aim, how the society will go on nicely. And for management, this hand, leg, brain, belly must be divided. Just like there's slight difference, those who are directly engaged in temple worship and those who are going to sell books. Apparently there's difference, but basically there is no difference.
Morning Walk -- March 14, 1974, Vrndavana:
Bhagavān: ...the society would go to the gurukula, and there it would be decided what their work would be?
Prabhupāda: Yes. First of all there should be an instructor on the spiritual life, then according to his position... Our spiritual life is meant, we should always remember... But for management we have to make divisions. That is...
Devotee: Actually the whole society could be Vaiṣṇava.
Prabhupāda: Ah. They're Vaiṣṇava. But because they have got to live in the material world, there must be division of work. If everyone wants to become the brain, who will act as leg? That is also required. If everyone says, "No, no, I'm not going to do the work of leg. I want simply to work as..." No. It is needed. The brain is needed, the hand is needed, the belly is needed, the leg is needed. So that we have to divide. Who will work as brain, who will work as hand, who will work as leg... The main aim is how to maintain this body perfectly, fit. That should be the aim, how the society will go on nicely. And for management, this hand, leg, brain, belly must be divided. Just like there's slight difference, those who are directly engaged in temple worship and those who are going to sell books. Apparently there's difference, but basically there is no difference. Like that. If one can sell books nicely, why he should be, I mean to say, engaged in the temple worship? He can do better work in that way. But there is no difference between selling the books and temple worship. Or washing the dish. There's no difference, because it is all transcendental. Just like aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti. Kṛṣṇa's hands and legs, there's no difference.First of all, the whole society must be divided into four varṇas. Otherwise, there will be chaotic condition. That is what is the position now. What is he, what he has to do, one does not know. And there are so many unemployment. But if you organize the society into varṇas, there will be no question of unemployment.
Morning Walk "Varnasrama College" -- March 14, 1974, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: First of all varṇa. And āśrama, then, when the varṇa is perfectly in order, then āśrama. Āśrama is specially meant for spiritual advancement, and varṇa is general division. It must be there in the human society, or they're on the animals. If varṇa is not there, then this is a society of animal. And when the varṇa is working perfectly, then we give them āśrama. Varṇāśrama. That is later on.
Hṛdayānanda: First they should be taught a skill.
Prabhupāda: Yes. First of all, the whole society must be divided into four varṇas. Otherwise, there will be chaotic condition. That is what is the position now. What is he, what he has to do, one does not know. And there are so many unemployment. But if you organize the society into varṇas, there will be no question of unemployment.
Hṛdayānanda: But from the very beginning there should be taught Bhagavad-gītā and...
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Hṛdayānanda: From the very beginning we should teach Bhagavad-gītā?
Prabhupāda: Yes. But our, our position is that we are above varṇāśrama. But for management or ideal society, we are introducing this. We, so far we are concerned, Kṛṣṇa conscious men, we are above varṇāśrama. But to show the people that we are not escaping, we can take part in any order of life. That is our position.Therefore the society must be divided into four classes of men, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: There are three guṇas, and the sattva-guṇa, brāhmaṇa, a class of ideal men, must be there in the society so that people can follow them.
Press Conference -- April 18, 1974, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: If a man is himself blind man, how he can lead other blind men? That is not... It is dangerous for both of them. So the leaders, the politicians, the king, the brāhmaṇa, they should be very much pure, without any sinful tinge of life. And the pillars of sinful life is illicit sex life and meat-eating and intoxication and gambling. Now, unfortunately, the leaders are teaching people how to enjoy illicit sex life, meat-eating and intoxication. Then how the society can be happy? It is not possible. If you become criminal or if you infect some disease, you must suffer. Similarly, in the material world there are three guṇas: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So if you associate with sattva-guṇa, then you become enlightened. If you associate with rajo-guṇa, then you are, I mean to say, pushed through passion. And if you are in ignorance, then you do not know what is right and wrong. Kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. The symptoms of rajo-guṇa is excessive lust and greediness. And sattva-guṇa, they are in knowledge. Therefore the society must be divided into four classes of men, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. There are three guṇas, and the sattva-guṇa, brāhmaṇa, a class of ideal men, must be there in the society so that people can follow them. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ lokas tad anuvartate [Bg. 3.21]. If there is no ideal men in the society, how they can be of good character? Therefore the brahminical class of men, I mean to say, in quality, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjava, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg. 18.42]. There must be an ideal class of men, brāhmaṇa. The next class, kṣatriyas, who can give protection to the society, they should come forward whenever there is danger. They will come forward to give protection to the society. Similarly, next, the vaiśya, they must produce. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg. 18.44]. The class of men should be interested, produce foodgrains and give protection to the cows.
So where are these things? How you can expect good society, good management? If you want good society, good management, people happy in this life and next, then you have to adopt the principles given by Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā. And we are preaching the cult of Bhagavad-gītā all over the world. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.There must be division. There must be division, and each division must be maintained very nicely. Then the whole society is all right.
Room Conversation with Mr. C. Hennis of the International Labor Organization of the U.N. -- May 31, 1974, Geneva:
C. Hennis: Yes. I think that in fact my organization is really intimately concerned...
Prabhupāda: That was my point, that you are taking of the laborer class. That is just like the legs.
C. Hennis: Well "labor," in fact means any kind of work, any kind of activity, any kind of occupational activity.
Prabhupāda: But you cannot say the... Any kind of activities, but everyone has got particular type of activity.
C. Hennis: Quite so.
Prabhupāda: You cannot say, "I can do any kind of work." I can give you advice about spiritual life, but if you require medical advice, then you have to go to somebody else. You cannot expect medical advice from me. So this is not a fact, that everyone can do everything. No.
C. Hennis: No, no, I agree. I agree.
Prabhupāda: There must be division. There must be division, and each division must be maintained very nicely. Then the whole society is all right.
C. Hennis: That I would agree with. And my organization...1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
And the society should be very nicely managed. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ. Why does He not say one varṇa, brāhmaṇa? Naturally there must be division because all men are not of the same quality.
Room Conversation with Press Representative -- March 21, 1975, Calcutta:
Prabhupāda: All politicians saying something in the mouth and doing something else, because they are śūdra. So this is very scientific. How it not be scientific? It is spoken by God. Cātur-varnyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. Required. Just like in this institution, I am guru, and if everyone becomes guru, then who will carry out the order of guru? There must be disciple also, who will carry out the order of guru. So it is not required... Just like in your body, it is not that body is made of head only, but head is required. You cannot avoid head, neither you can avoid the leg. So śūdra required, the brāhmaṇa required, the kṣatriya required, and the vaiśya required. And the society should be very nicely managed. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ. Why does He not say one varṇa, brāhmaṇa? Naturally there must be division because all men are not of the same quality. You cannot expect. So whatever quality he has got, utilize that.
So there must be division like this. The brāhmaṇas should guide the kṣatriyas, and the kṣatriyas will administer the state, and the vaiśyas will produce foodstuff, and śūdras will help. Cooperation for common benefit. But the aim is spiritual realization. That is perfect society.
Room Conversation with Dr. John Mize -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Yes, Kṛṣṇa created these four division, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, but He does not belong to any one of them. He is neither brāhmaṇa nor kṣatriya nor vaiśya nor śūdra. He is transcendental. Similarly, our philosophy—just to make the human society very peaceful and making progress we wish to establish this system. A first-class man, group of men, brāhmaṇas, they will guide the kṣatriyas, and the kṣatriyas, the administrators, they will guide the vaiśya. Vaiśya means agriculture and cow protection and trade. And śūdra means those who are neither brāhmaṇa nor kṣatriya nor vaiśyas. They are simply worker, assistant. So there must be division like this. The brāhmaṇas should guide the kṣatriyas, and the kṣatriyas will administer the state, and the vaiśyas will produce foodstuff, and śūdras will help. Cooperation for common benefit. But the aim is spiritual realization. That is perfect society. If everyone is śūdra, without any aim of life, then there will be chaos. Just like in your country, in spite of so much facility for education, the students are produced hippies, useless for all purposes.
So the human society must be divided into four section, and they should work combinedly, cooperatively. Then there will be peaceful condition for realization of the goal of life, back to home, back to Godhead. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching this process of life, and the whole world is now in chaos on account of no brain.
Press Conference -- July 9, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: If we want eternal life of bliss and knowledge, then we must endeavor in this life how to go back to home, back to Godhead. And such persons who are endeavoring for this purpose, they are called first-class men. And they are called brāhmaṇas or the first-class men. So society must be divided into four classes: first-class, second-class, third-class, fourth-class. That is general. Those who are endeavoring for realizing God, they are first-class men. Those who are less intelligent—they are trying to rule over the material world—they are second-class men. And those who are engaged in producing food and cow protection, they are third-class. And those who are useless for any of these three occupational duties, they are called fourth-class. And those who are still lower than that, they are called fifth-class, sixth-class, like that. So our educational system should be so arranged that there may be first-class, second-class, third-class, fourth-class men, not less than fourth-class men. Then the social structure will be in order and everyone will be peaceful, aiming at the point, how to go back to home, back to Godhead. Unless there is such structure of the society... Just like in our body we have got four divisions, the head, the arms, the belly and the leg. All of them are required. But the position of the head and position of the leg are different. Head means giving direction, and arms means giving protection, and belly means receiving food for energy of the body, and leg means working. So the human society must be divided into four section, and they should work combinedly, cooperatively. Then there will be peaceful condition for realization of the goal of life, back to home, back to Godhead. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching this process of life, and the whole world is now in chaos on account of no brain. Just like we have got this body. If the brain is not working in good condition, then he is called a madman. So in spite of possessing other parts of the body, namely, the arm, the belly, and the leg, if the head is not in good condition, then the body is useless. At this present moment there is want of first-class men and also second-class men. The whole world is filled up with third-class, fourth-class, fifth-class men. Therefore the society is not properly adjusted. By accepting this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement... The process is described very nicely in the Bhagavad-gītā. If we follow the principles of Bhagavad-gītā, we will find answers for all the problems of life, and if we take it seriously, then the whole human society will be happy, peaceful, in this life, and next life they will go back to home, back to Godhead for eternal blissful life of knowledge. So we are giving literary information in fifty books. Some of the books are distributed here. You can see. Otherwise, the process is very simple. If we chant the holy name of the Lord, we become purified, our heart becomes cleansed, and we can understand the aim of life, the goal of life, and in this way everything can be adjusted very nicely.
Those divisions are required. Not that everyone is all. No, there must be division of labor. So that is described, how to make civilization perfect, who is going to hear and take it.
Room Conversation -- July 31, 1975, New Orleans:
Prabhupāda: So there are different varieties of men, so divide them according to the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, then whole human society will be... There are four division of your body—the head division, the arm division, the belly division, the leg division. If you engage the head for walking, that is mistake, and if you engage the leg for thinking, that is mistake. Similarly, there are different types of men, combine together, and it will be nice body, the leg will walk, the hand will protect, the head will give instruction, and the belly will get energy by eating food. Those divisions are required. Not that everyone is all. No, there must be division of labor. So that is described, how to make civilization perfect, who is going to hear and take it. Cātur varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. If you can adjust things, you can utilize things, then everything will be useful. And if you do not know how to utilize things, then everything will be useless. Take instruction from Bhagavad-gītā and make everything useful. Then the human society will be perfect. Otherwise you'll go on manufacturing ideas, you'll never be successful. Because nature's law is working, you cannot interfere with the nature's law. That is not possible. You may think yourself very much advanced in science, but nature's law, you cannot interfere. Just like now there is movement, man and woman, equal.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Our Vedic advice is that make life very simple. You must have some means of livelihood. Keep your body and soul together. So according to quality, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13], there must be division and then simple life.
Morning Walk -- April 9, 1976, Vrndavana:
This industry means engage the poor worker class to work very hard, and there is huge profit, and some directors of the capitalists, they take it. And they have one dozen motorcars, palatial building, no work, simply wine and woman, that's all. This is going on. And the others, they are seeing: "There is no classification, neither real brāhmaṇa nor kṣatriya nor vaiśya. So he is enjoying like that. He has got so many cars. He has got such a nice apartment. Why not me?" There is struggle. This is actual picture. Our Vedic advice is that make life very simple. You must have some means of livelihood. Keep your body and soul together. So according to quality, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13], there must be division and then simple life. The real aim is tam abhyarcya, how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Everyone is.... Brāhmaṇa is guiding, kṣatriya is ruling, and vaiśya is producing food, and śūdra, they have no brain; they are helping. In this way the society is very peaceful, and everyone is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is India's civilization. Now, due to this association of the rākṣasas... Even up to Mohammedan time this civilization was being continued. Mohammedan did not touch the Indian culture.
So, here in this Bhagavad-gītā, it is ordered that the human society must be divided into four divisions, and they should cooperate for understanding God.
Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:
Prabhupāda: This book, this book. We are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is.
Scheverman: So this is a collection of the ancient writings as well as modern writings that reflect the way of life.
Prabhupāda: This is the summary of all Vedic literature.
Kern: Of what kind of literature?
Prabhupāda: Vedic.
Scheverman: Vedic, oh, yeah.
Rakṣaṇa: Vedas means knowledge.
Scheverman: This comes out of a Hindu record.
Prabhupāda: So, here in this Bhagavad-gītā, it is ordered that the human society must be divided into four divisions, and they should cooperate for understanding God. Just like in our body there is the head, there is the arm, there is the belly and there is the leg. So they are all cooperating for maintaining the body. Although head is very important than the leg, but leg is also required. Simply head will not be able to keep the body in good condition.
Scheverman: Yes, our Saint Paul uses that very imagery in his Epistle to the Corinthians, Tenth Chapter. Yes.
Prabhupāda: So that is mentioned in this book. So head means first-class intelligent. A class of men.
Kern: How about people who aren't first-class intelligence, people, as you mentioned, the foolish. What message...?
Prabhupāda: No, they should be trained up. The foolish man.... Just like a foolish child can be trained up to be very nicely educated to pass M.A. examination. Child is..., all children are foolish. That is accepted. But by training him, we can make him the first-class intelligent man.
Scheverman: Training and discipline is a very important aspect of your asceticism.
Prabhupāda: But that training is wanted at the present moment.
Scheverman: Yes, I think that, I would agree that the willingness of modern...
Prabhupāda: There's no training to qualify a person to become first class. There is no training.Correspondence
1974 Correspondence
In the material life there must be division of activities. That is accepted in the Bhagavad gita as catur varnyam maya srstam guna karma vibhagasah tasya kartaram api mam viddhy akartaram avyayam
Letter to Tarun Kanti Ghosh Babu -- New Delhi 11 March, 1974: So bhakti is such a nice think. Bhakti is transcendental. When one is situated in bhakti life his mission of life is successful. That is called "ceto darpana marjanam bhava maha davagni nirvapanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]." Everyone of us is suffering from the three fold miseries of material existence. Coming to the platform of bhakti, pure devotional service, one immediately ceases the blazing fire of material existence. That is the effect of Sri Krishna Sankirtana. The whole world is in chaotic condition without understanding this philosophy.
In the material life there must be division of activities. That is accepted in the Bhagavad gita as
- catur varnyam maya srstam
- guna karma vibhagasah
- tasya kartaram api mam
- viddhy akartaram avyayam
- [Bg. 4.13]
Our students who are making this political program must be fixed in one point that human society unless divided into the four classes and divisions is animal society
Letter to Rupanuga -- Tirupati 28 April, 1974: Our students who are making this political program must be fixed in one point that human society unless divided into the four classes and divisions is animal society. Among the animals there is no intelligence for self realization or how to make life successful. In human life intelligence is better than animals therefore they should know what is the aim of life and to educate human society there is the whole Vedic literature, of which the Bhagavad gita is the quintessence. The Supreme Personality of Godhead orders that there must be four division in human society, a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th class, like that, and the 1st must be ideal. If the whole society is full of rogues, thieves, drunkards, cheaters and demons, where is there question of decent government. There must be division so the lower class men may aspire to be second class men. So far we are concerned we are trying to train first class men. How much great responsibility we have to follow regulative principles, chant the beads, live with personal character etc. Regulative principles means to especially execute devotional service in terms of the revealed scriptures under the direction of the spiritual master. By fulfilling the regulative principles you come to the platform of spontaneous love for Krsna. Spontaneous love for Krsna is there already but is covered by the influence of Maya. The regulative principles are a device how to overcome the influence of maya and come to the platform of spontaneous love of Krsna. If we want to exist as first class men in society all our students must be induced to following the regulative principles. One shouldn't think artificially he has come to the spontaneous platform. That is sahajiyaism.
| Page Title: | Society must be divided |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti |
| Created: | 5 of feb, 2008 |
| No. of Quotes: | 55 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=2, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=35, Con=15, Let=2 |