Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 22.111
Social and Spiritual Orders Complete Human Society
“ ‘From the mouth of Brahmā, the brahminical order has come into existence. Similarly, from his arms the kṣatriyas have come, from his waist the vaiśyas have come, and from his legs the śūdras have come. These four orders and their spiritual counterparts [brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa] combine to make human society complete.
What the purport teaches
- The brahminical order comes from Brahmā’s mouth, and the kṣatriyas come from his arms.
- The vaiśyas come from Brahmā’s waist, and the śūdras come from his legs.
- These four orders, together with brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa, make human society complete.
Try this today
Write down the four social orders and their four spiritual counterparts.
Ask yourself
How does this description help you see society as having complementary parts?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.