The Purushasuktam, an exquisite hymn in the Rig Veda gives an expansive portrayal of the Supreme Being where the entire creation is depicted in the form of a Cosmic person. It has a beautiful description of the Four Varnas born from the limbs of the Virat Purusha.
Body of the Cosmic Being
It is said that the Brahmins emerged from the mukha of the Cosmic Being. This mukha - head - contains our brain and all our senses. We experience the world through the five senses of shabda, sparsha, rupa, rasa and gandha. Actually, this experience is only possible because of the brain which is also the centre of speech.
Further down are the heart and hands. These represent the Kshatriyas who are large-hearted and strong. However, it is the brain that controls and guides them to work.
Next are stomach and the thighs – the Vaishyas. You will all agree that our stomach is of primary importance! It has to be fed. If food is not given to it, the brain cannot function properly. The role of the Vaishyas is to provide adequate and nourishing food so that the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Shudras are endowed with power and strength.
Below are the feet - the Shudras. They are the ones who keep the body standing - otherwise the entire structure will topple down. They also give movement to the system. Hence, the Shudras are a formidable work force – a force required to move the whole system.
In the word ‘samaj’, ‘aj’ indicates the Supreme Reality. That Unborn, Changeless, all-Pervading Brahman is called “Aj”. Thus, sam+aj means that He is present in everyone – Hari vyapak sarvatra samana. So, it is extremely important to appreciate that all the four Varnas are the body of the Virat Purusha; they are all integral parts of the Cosmic Being.
Vyasthi and Samashti
The main aim is to purify our mind and attain the Supreme – that is the goal life – to realize one’s own divine nature. In order to reach this goal, we need to work both for the improvement of our body, mind and intellect as well as for the overall well-being of society - for the vyasthi as well as for the samashti.
Each section of society functions according to its own ability and Varna. The Brahmin studies the Vedas – to gain knowledge and wisdom – for his own sake. This is a vyashti karma because he is purifying the mind, and developing the essential qualities of shama, dama etc. In addition, he is also teaching the Scriptures to others which is a yagna and a samasthi karma. Similarly the Kshatriyas are doing their vyasthi karma; they are working for their own growth, by performing their allocated duties, but are also helping the samashti by providing competent administration and full protection to society. It is similar for the Vaishyas and the Shudras.
Let us take some examples. At an individual level, it is important not compromise on the nutritional value of your food intake. Restaurants and packaged foods use excessive fat, sugar and salt in order to increase the shelf-life of their products; these ingredients play havoc with our health. Therefore, one should not make a regular habit of going to commercial places to eat or consume too many processed items. At the societal level, when the sole motive is commercial gain, without considering insights provided by knowledge and scientific research (the Brahmins), the whole structure becomes weak. Another illustration is that of our body; if we continuously use the help of clutches to move, our legs will slowly become feeble. Similarly, the brain becomes less alert when we give its job to calculators!
Just as one limb cannot do the work of another and no part can be neglected, the Varna system maintains the smooth and proper functioning of society
The Lord advises us to continue performing our own karma and keep moving towards the Him. So wherever you are placed, carry on doing your work and you will attain the Supreme. All the four Varnas have equal opportunity to attain moksha. All can attain realize their true identity. Their jobs may be different, as per their Varna, but they can all attain the ultimate goal of life.
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