तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम्।।4.13।।
Last Sunday in Balavihar class, we learned about the four varnas and the four asramas (stages of life).
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says that he created the four varnas to divide people based on their karma (actions) and their gunas (sattva, rajas, and tamas). The four varnas are Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra. In the past, members of the Brahmin varna were expected to have a deep knowledge of the Vedas, as well as to perform pujas and other rituals. Today, it can be a term used to describe anyone who is considered to be of high moral character and has a sattvic mind. Historically, Kshatriyas included members of society such as rulers and warriors. They tend to be more rajasic, as they are more action-oriented and driven to do things. This is not necessarily a bad thing. The same can be said about Vaishyas, who more often than not have minds fit for business. They too are always performing action, since they try to earn as much money as possible. Shudras are members of the working class. I am not sure what defines a Shudra in a modern-day context, so I am not going to go deeper into it.
I found this lesson on Varnas interesting because I always thought that this system was rigid and did not allow people to move up. But what I learned was that your varna is not decided by your birth, but by the things you do in your life. This in particular was interesting to me.
Next, let me talk about the four asramas, or stages of life. Actually, I just realized that there are five; I forgot about one. The five stages of life are as follows: Bala avastha, Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, and Sanyasa. Bala avastha refers to the first stage of life, childhood. This is a time of growth, when a baby learns new things about their new world with the help of their parents. This goes on for a while until the Brahmacharya stage of life comes around. This is when a child goes to a gurukul to pursue their education in all sorts of subjects until they are old enough to leave. Next is Grihastha, which refers to an individual's married life. During this time, one has to serve their family more than they serve themselves. One must care for their children and teach them how to lead a good life. This is the most goal-oriented stage of life. Now, it is time for Vanaprastha. When one is in Vanaprastha, they make the transition from work to retirement. They have to hand the reins to the next generation and start to unattach themselves from worldly things. Finally comes Sanyaasa. In Sanyaasa, one lets go of everything, including their home and their family, and focuses on the Lord and attaining Moksha. Death will eventually take them and their life will have come to an end.
I think this was a very important lesson. One cannot only think about worldly possessions every second of their life; at one point, they have to let go. This definitely takes a lot of willpower and I admire everyone who does it. One day, when I reach the Sanyaasa stage of life, I wish to detach myself from the world and everything it has to offer to die peacefully, while thinking of nothing but the Lord.
