In this exposition Swami Nirvisheshananda Tirtha ji discusses and analyzes the subject of Varna division in the Hindu society. The Varna system has been widely misinterpreted and misunderstood, taking the form of the caste system.

As per the original and correct interpretation, mankind is divided into four Varnas – Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Sudras.

Krishna, discussing this fourfold division in Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 18, verse 41), says:

ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप |
कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणै: || 41||

brāhmaṇa-kṣhatriya-viśhāṁ śhūdrāṇāṁ cha parantapa
karmāṇi pravibhaktāni svabhāva-prabhavair guṇaiḥ

Activities of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Sudras are well divided on the basis of their qualities shaped by Nature’s gunas.

Work was divided among people in the society based on their Guna constitution. Each of these social groups took up activities according to their tendencies and skills, and contributed to the welfare of the society. Each of them by this exclusive dedication to his/her chosen field excelled in it.

Depending on his natural tendencies (Svabhava), the three Gunas (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas) will function in a human being. These may be present in different permutations and combinations in a person. A Brahmana may have Sattva as a predominant Guna, followed by Rajas and Tamas. Rajas will be the dominant Guna in a Kshatriya followed by Sattva and Tamas in whichever order. In a Vaishya, the order may be Rajas, Tamas and Sattva, and in a Sudra, Tamas and Rajas followed by Sattva. 

“But this Guna constitution is not absolute,” says Swamji, “You may have been born with a certain Guna constitution but it can be changed by self-effort. If one wants to cultivate Sattva Guna, then he will have to imbibe more and more Saatvik inputs”.

This Varna classification had been defined in India, but such a broad categorization exists everywhere in the world. Everywhere there are certain kinds of people with a preference and an orientation for teaching, some who are given to administration, and yet others to manual labor, serving others, etc. 
Discussing Svabhava, Swamiji quotes Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 8, verse 3:

श्रीभगवानुवाच |
अक्षरं ब्रह्म परमं स्वभावोऽध्यात्ममुच्यते |
भूतभावोद्भवकरो विसर्ग: कर्मसञ्ज्ञित: || 3||

śhrī bhagavān uvācha
akṣharaṁ brahma paramaṁ svabhāvo ’dhyātmam uchyate
bhūta-bhāvodbhava-karo visargaḥ karma-sanjñitaḥ

The Svabhava is the spiritual essence in us. It is the same for everybody (whatever his Varna or Guna). 

But when this ‘Sva’ manifests through a personality, it will take up the qualities of the personality. Swamiji took the example of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda and said, “Although their personalities were poles apart, there was no difference in their realization”.

Each person will have some natural tendencies, qualities, or parameters. But because of desires, we do not follow our Svabhava. A person may be very good in music but he may take up a career in information technology because the profession may be more lucrative.

In ancient India, this Varna classification led to amazing excellence in various fields. This is apparent when consider the contributions of Indians in the fields of literature, poetry, medicine, astronomy, music, and much more. 

Swamiji emphatically says, “But that does not give anybody the right to look down upon anybody. India has suffered because people started looking down upon those belonging to other Varnas”.

Our scriptures repeatedly proclaim that the path of spirituality and goal of attaining perfection is open to everyone. It is not restricted to a certain class of people.

Swamiji states, “Whether you are studying Shastras, ruling the kingdom, doing business, or helping others, everything depends upon how and with what attitude you do the work.” 

Swamiji concluded with a defining statement that if everyone does all work fully knowing that it is all a play of the Gunas and work without any ego, attachment or expectation of happiness, it is possible to attain the heights of spiritual perfection.

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We often say we are able to understand this teaching, but not able to retain it. The ability to retain and hold on to it is known as dhrti, as Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha beautifully explains in this practical and pertinent segment.

Dhrti, just like everything else in this objective world, is subject to the three gunas – the three modes of nature – sattva, rajas and tamas.

Sattvika dhrti is what anchors one to yoga buddhi. Yoga buddhi is when the Soul dimension is projected in the intelligence, bringing forth qualities such as unaffectedness, impersonality and universality. 

Rajasika dhrti activates us with bhoga buddhi (the tendency towards enjoyment, working egoistically). Finally tamasika dhriti immerses one in moha (delusion, wrong understanding).

To put it simply, says Swamiji, yoga, bhoga and moha, represent sattvaguna, rajoguna and tamoguna respectively. All three are generally present in all of us. 

As seekers on this path, our focus must be on cultivating more and more sattvika dhrti. As Krishna says in verse 33 of the 18th chapter;

धृत्या यया धारयते मन:प्राणेन्द्रियक्रिया: |
योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्या धृति: सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी || 33|| 

dhṛtyā yayā dhārayate manaḥ-prāṇendriya-kriyāḥ
yogenāvyabhicāriṇyā dhṛtiḥ sā pārtha sāttvikī

“With that dhrti, the mind, vital energies and sense organs all hold on to yoga in a non-desultory manner. Such a dhrti (which arises from the sattvika buddhi) is known as sattvika dhrti.”

Avyabhicari (non-desultory) is an important word for us to understand. Swamiji explains that vyabhicari means desultory, inconsistent. It is when we flit from one state to the other (for example from yoga to bhoga and back). Sattvika dhrti provides the one-pointed dedication and persistence of the buddhi to follow yoga and hold on to the Truth.

When the buddhi helps us differentiate between bondage and liberation, it is the drhti that allows us to follow it.  It enables us to use our viveka (discrimination) effectively so that it will be naturally followed by the right measure of vairagya (dispassion). This is how vairagya automatically follows viveka.

An interesting fact Swamiji pointed out is that physical features can reveal very deep-seated traits such as stealth. While facial expressions are flexible and respond accordingly to emotions, structural features such as formation of toes and other gross features of the body indicate a far deeper impact of traits and tendencies. Such traits are so deeply engrained that they are extremely difficult to rectify, often resulting in the person having no choice but to simply accept that this is how they are.

A crucial point for us to remember is that while the buddhi can become enlightened with the help of the Self-realized Teacher, dhrti will only come from our own sadhana. It is not enough to have sharp intelligence. We must make the effort to do the sadhana and cultivate sattvika dhrti. In Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna gives a two-pronged approach of abhyasa (practice) and vairagya. The most powerful abhyasa is vichara (introspection). 

Swamiji explains in a purely rational and scientific manner that abhyasa provides the centripetal force that anchors us within. Vairagya reduces the centrifugal force created by the outside pull of the objective world, which takes us away from the center.

Therefore, Swamiji concludes, we must generate more of the centripetal force through abhyasa, and diminish the centrifugal force through vairagya. Ultimately this is the only way to develop dhrti, and remain anchored in our real identity, the Soul.

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