Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 22.27
Social and Spiritual Orders Complete 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 social orders combine with brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa to make human society complete.
Try this today
Write down the four social orders and the four spiritual orders in two lists.
Ask yourself
How does this description help me see society as having both social and spiritual dimensions?
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.