Varṇāśrama-dharma

śraddadhānaḥ śubhāṁ vidyām ādadītāvarād api

śraddadhānaḥ śubhāṁ vidyām ādadītāvarād api |
antyād api paraṁ dharmaṁ strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api ||
viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyaṁ bālād api subhāṣitam |
amitrād api sad-vṛttam amedhyād api kāñcanam ||
striyo ratnāny atho vidyā dharmaḥ śaucaṁ subhāṣitam |
vividhāni ca śīlpāni samādeyāni sarvataḥ ||
abrāhmaṇād adhyāyanam āpat-kāle vidhīyate |
anuvrajyā ca śuśrūṣā yāvad adhyāyanaṁ guroḥ ||
(Manu-smṛti: 2.238–241)

“One possessed of śraddhā may accept conducive knowledge [e.g., knowledge of logic, poetry, drama, medicine, etc.] even from an inferior [i.e., a member of a lower caste], other (para) dharma [i.e., knowledge of local laws and the like; alt., knowledge of the supreme (para) dharma, i.e., knowledge of the Self (Ātmā)] even from the lowest [i.e., someone who has no varṇa], and a wife or a jewel even from a low family. Nectar can be accepted even from poison, a fine statement even from a boy, good conduct even from a foe, and gold even from an impure substance. Wives, jewels, knowledge, dharma, uprightness, fine statements, and various arts can be accepted from everywhere. [A brāhmaṇa’s] Studying [the Veda] from a non-brāhmaṇa [i.e., a kṣatriya or vaiśya] is enjoined in a time of difficulty, as is following and serving the [non-brāhmaṇa] guru while studying.”

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jāti-vidyā-mahatvaṁ ca rūpaṁ yauvanam eva ca

jāti-vidyā-mahatvaṁ ca rūpaṁ yauvanam eva ca |
yatnena parihartavyaḥ pañcaite bhakti-kaṇṭakāḥ ||
(Unknown source)

“Caste, learning, greatness, beauty, and youth are to be relinquished [i.e., one should not foster any conceit because of them]. These five are thorns for [i.e., on the path of] bhakti.”

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‘kulaṁ śīlam athācāram avicārya paraṁ gurum

‘kulaṁ śīlam athācāram avicārya paraṁ gurum |
bhajeta śravaṇādy-arthī sarasaṁ sāra-sāgaram ||’
sarasatvādikaṁ ca vyañjitaṁ tatraivānyatra—
‘kāma-krodhādi-yukto’pi kṛpaṇo’pi viṣādavān |
śrutvā vikāśam āyāti sa vaktā paramo guruḥ ||’
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 203; citations from Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa)

“‘Then, without judging family, custom, or conduct, one who seeks to hear and so on should accept an exalted guru, who is sarasa [i.e., adept and absorbed in tasting rasa, or, more broadly, charming and full of love] and an ocean of essence [i.e., one who has widely and deeply grasped and imbibed the essence of the śāstra].’ [The importance of the guru’s] Being sarasa and so forth is suggested elsewhere therein [i.e., in Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa] as well, ‘The teacher after hearing [from whom] even someone possessed of desire, anger, and so on, even a wretch [i.e., a miser, or a low, poor, undiscerning, or pitiable person] beset with dejection, experiences expansion [i.e., expansion of the heart, meaning, upliftment, brightness, and joy] is an exalted guru.’”

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ye vai bhagavatā proktā

ye vai bhagavatā proktā upāyā hy ātma-labdhaye |
añjaḥ puṁsām aviduṣāṁ viddhi bhāgavatān hi tān ||
yān āsthāya naro rājan na pramādyeta karhicit |
dhāvan nimīlya vā netre na skhalen na pated iha ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.2.34–35; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.497, 524; Bhakti Sandarbha: 125, 216, 218; Mādhurya-kādambinī: 3.3)

“Know to be Bhāgavatas [i.e., Bhāgavata-dharmas—limbs of bhakti to Bhagavān] those well known means of realization (1) which are stated by Bhagavān for unlearned persons for the sake of [their] easy attainment of the Self (Ātmā) and (2) by taking shelter in which a human being, O King, shall never be hindered. [Even by] Running or keeping the eyes closed, one shall not stumble and shall not fall here.”

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nāsāṁ dvijāti-saṁskāro na nivāso gurāv api |

nāsāṁ dvijāti-saṁskāro na nivāso gurāv api |
na tapo nātma-mīmāṁsā na śaucaṁ na kriyāḥ śubhāḥ ||
tathāpi hy uttamaḥ-śloke kṛṣṇe yogeśvareśvare |
bhaktir dṛḍhā na cāsmākaṁ saṁskārādimatām api ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.23.42–43)
“Although they have neither the saṁskāra of a twice-born, nor residence with the guru, nor austerity, nor self-inquiry, nor cleanliness, nor meritorious rites, still certainly [they have] firm bhakti to he of highest praise, Kṛṣṇa, the Īśvara of all masters of yogas, whereas even we who are endowed with the saṁskāra [of a twice-born] and so forth do not [have bhakti to Kṛṣṇa].”

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dhig janma nas trivṛd vidyāṁ dhig vrataṁ dhig bahujñatām

dhig janma nas trivṛd vidyāṁ dhig vrataṁ dhig bahujñatām |
dhik kulaṁ dhik kriyā-dākṣyaṁ vimukhā ye tv adhokṣaje ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.23.39)
“Fie on the threefold birth, fie on the education, fie on the vow, fie on the great learnedness, fie on the family, and fie on the rites and expertise of we who are utterly averse to Adhokṣaja!”

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śvapākam iva nekṣeta loke vipram avaiṣṇavam

śvapākam iva nekṣeta loke vipram avaiṣṇavam |
vaiṣṇavo varṇa-bāhyo’pi punāti bhuvana-trayam ||
na śūdrā bhagavad-bhaktās te tu bhāgavatā matāḥ |
sarva-varṇeṣu te śūdrā ye na bhaktā janārdane ||
(Padma Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.164–165; Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 5.455; Bhakti Sandarbha: 247)
“Like a dog-cooker [is not to be looked at], one should not look at a non-Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa in this world. Even a Vaiṣṇava outside the varṇas [i.e., who does not belong to any of the four varṇas] purifies the three worlds. Bhaktas of Bhagavān are not śūdras. Rather, they are accepted as Bhāgavatas [i.e., to belong to Śrī Bhagavān and not to any caste]. Among all the varṇas, they are śūdras who are not bhaktas of Janārdana.”

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varṇānām āśramāṇāṁ ca janma-bhūmy-anusāriṇīḥ

varṇānām āśramāṇāṁ ca janma-bhūmy-anusāriṇīḥ |
āsan prakṛtayo nṝṇāṁ nīcair nīcottamottamāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.17.15)

“The lower, low, higher, and higher characteristics of the varṇas and āśramas of human beings have come about according to [their] place of birth [from the body of the Puruṣa described earlier in SB 11.17.13–14, i.e., the śūdras, vaiśyas, kṣatriyas, and brāhmaṇas are ranked from low to high in accord with their respective birth places from the feet, thighs, arms, and face of the Puruṣa, and gṛhasthas, brahmacārīs, vānaprasthas, and sannyāsīs are ranked from low to high in accord with their respective birth places from the loins, heart, chest, and head of the Puruṣa].”

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ahiṁsā satyam asteyam akāma-krodha-lobhatā

ahiṁsā satyam asteyam akāma-krodha-lobhatā |
bhūta-priya-hitehā ca dharmo’yaṁ sarva-varṇikaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.17.21)

“Non-violence, truthfulness, non-thievery, the absence of lust, anger, and greediness, action that is beneficial and pleasing to [all] beings [alt., fondness and well-wishing for all beings]—this is the dharma for all varṇas [i.e., these qualities are fit to be cultivated by the members of all the varṇas and by those outside the four varṇas as well].”

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