- bāla-dvija-suhṛn-mitra-
- pitṛ-bhrātṛ-guru-druhaḥ
- na me syān nirayān mokṣo
- hy api varṣāyutāyutaiḥ
- (SB 1.8.49)
So according to Vedic civilization, special protection for children, Brāhmiṇs, women, and saintly persons—Brāhmiṇ comes (under) saintly person, special—and cow. Special protection. Bāla-dvija-suhṛn-mitra. Others, next, just like we chant the mantra, namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca, the first reference is given to the cows and the Brāhmiṇs. Why not others? There are so many animals, so many human being. Why? Go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. This is to be noted. Unless in the society these two creatures are taken care of, that is not human society.
Dvija, dvija especially meant the Brāhmiṇs, although dvija means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, because all of them are twice-born—once born by father and mother, and the next birth is by the spiritual master and spiritual knowledge. So therefore to specify especially the Brāhmiṇs, they are called dvija-śreṣṭha. Amongst the dvija, the most important dvija, the brāhmaṇa. Ataḥ . . . of course, others, they are as good, provided they take instruction from the dvija-śreṣṭha. Dvija-śreṣṭha. Śreṣṭha means the best. Best of the dvijas.
- ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
- varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ
- svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
- saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam
- (SB 1.2.13)
So their welfare is first considered. Go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. Before that, go, cows, cows' protection. In the modern society they do not know even the preliminary knowledge of worshiping the Supreme Being by giving protection to the cows and the Brāhmiṇs.
Besides that, as soon as one is born, he becomes debtor to so many things.
- devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇāṁ
- nāyam ṛṇī na kiṅkaro rājan
- sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ
- gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam
- (SB 11.5.41)
We become debtor to the demigods as soon as we are born on this earth—as a human being, not as cats and dogs. Cats and dogs, they are not debtor to anyone because they have no sense, nonsense. So first of all we become debtor to the demigods—the sun, moon, the Indra, Candra and many others. So how we become debtor? Because the sun is giving sunshine. We are taking advantage of the sunshine. Unless there was sunshine, you could not live even. Sunshine is so important. It is said that little this side or that side of the orbit of the sun makes the whole world frozen or blazing. Sun is so important thing. It has got an orbit. Yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakro govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Bs. 5.52). Sun is very powerful planet, very important planet, of all the other planets. Rājā: it is the king of planets. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā: the sun is the king of all planet. Because without sun, all planets will be frozen, or if the sun becomes too much bright, then everything will be ablaze. At the last stage of annihilation the whole universe will be ablaze by the scorching heat of the sun, and then there will be torrents of rain. For one hundred years the whole universe will remain ablaze. And then for one hundred years there will be heavy rain. In this way the creation will be annihilated.