Text 31: Thereafter the power of protection was generated from the arms of the gigantic virāṭ form, and in relation to such power the kṣatriyas also came into existence by following the kṣatriya principle of protecting society from the disturbance of thieves and miscreants.
Text 32: The means of livelihood of all persons, namely production of grains and their distribution to the prajās, was generated from the thighs of the Lord’s gigantic form. The mercantile men who take charge of such execution are called vaiśyas.
Text 33: Thereafter, service was manifested from the legs of the Personality of Godhead for the sake of perfecting the religious function. Situated on the legs are the śūdras, who satisfy the Lord by service.
Text 34: All these different social divisions are born, with their occupational duties and living conditions, from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus for unconditional life and self-realization one has to worship the Supreme Lord under the direction of the spiritual master.
Text 35: O Vidura, who can estimate or measure the transcendental time, work and potency of the gigantic form manifested by the internal potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā
The duty of kṣatra (kṣatriya) is protection. The kṣatriya who follows that duty also originated from the arms. The meaning is: He who is pauruṣa (the portion of the Puruṣa Viṣṇu) protects from kṣata (injury) caused by thorns like thieves, etc. || 31 ||
Providers of livelihood for people. Originated from the thighs of that Lord. He who by his own occupation provided vārtā (livelihood) born from the thighs. || 32 ||
By whose occupation Hari himself is pleased, when that is the cause. || 33 ||
Since they were born from, due to his greatness, fatherhood and providing livelihood, worship of Hari is their highest dharma - this is the meaning. || 34 ||
O Kṣattā (Vidura)! Who would desire to comprehend fully this universal form manifested by the yogamāyā power of the Lord, who has the nature of divine action and self, possessing the powers of time, karma and inherent nature? Even the desire is impossible, let alone the comprehension - this is the meaning. || 35 ||
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā
This is the meaning - born together with the occupation. || 31 ||
By one's own occupation like agriculture, trade, etc. "Ājīva, jīvikā, vārtā, vṛtti are synonyms for livelihood" and "Agriculture, animal husbandry and trade are the occupations for women" - thus says Amara. || 32 ||
By whose occupation, i.e. service - this indicates that not only by one's own dharma, but devotion along with it pleases the Lord, as heard in "Abandoning one's own dharma, [taking refuge] at the lotus feet of Hari" etc. || 33 ||
This is the meaning - as it is said: "Service to mother and father, as well as to the food-giver, being the cause of all auspiciousness, is declared the highest dharma" - this is the idea. For the purification of the self, for the purity of the inner faculties. || 34 ||
This is the meaning - As per the logic "Where there is doubt about food, what to speak of desire for wealth", the a fortiori argument is also indicated here - this is the idea. || 35 ||
Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā
The meaning is stated as due to repetition of the word. || 31 ||
Vṛttikarīḥ means vṛttikartrīḥ (providers of livelihood). || 32 ||
By whose occupation - meaning service to Brahmins and Vaiṣṇavas, performed even by Brahmins etc., Hari is pleased - thus by indicating the greatness of that occupation, the greatness of true devotion is intended to be expressed. Because pleasing Him by mere caste duties alone is not possible, as per "Abandoning one's own dharma" etc. || 33 ||
They worship, meaning they worship Him by offering to Him - this is the meaning. || 34-35 ||
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
From the arms means kṣatra, the duty of kṣatriyas is protection - that occupation originated from the arms. Following that, the kṣatriya who follows kṣatra also originated from the arms by his own occupation. He who was born from the arms of Brahmā, pauruṣa means the portion of the collective Puruṣa, the kṣatriya protects the varṇas from kṣata (injury) caused by thorns, i.e. thieves etc. who cause disturbance to people. || 31 ||
Viśa means of that Lord, the Master, Brahmā - the genitive is used to indicate being a part, even though it is an ablative. The providers of people's livelihood, means of livelihood like buying, selling, agriculture etc. - viśa means vaiśyas, with change of case and gender. He who, being a vaiśya, born from Brahmā, provided vārtā, livelihood for people. || 32 ||
From the feet - for the accomplishment of the dharma of service to the previous varṇas, for the sake of accomplishing one's dharma of serving the previous varṇas of the Lord who is of the nature of Brahmā. How is that service? He says "In that" - in that occupation of service by which Hari is pleased when performed by the śūdra, the śūdra was born with that as the cause. The meaning is that śūdra birth is for the sake of service to the previous varṇas that pleases the Lord. This indicates that pleasing the Lord by one's own occupation is the highest dharma. || 33 ||
He explains that very thing in "These" - These four varṇas beginning with Brāhmaṇa, by their own dharma, the duties appropriate to their varṇa, with faith, for the purification of the self, for purifying the inner faculties defiled by beginningless sinful tendencies, worship their guru, their father Hari who removes the bondage of saṃsāra for those who take refuge in Him. They should worship Hari who is of such nature - this is the meaning. What kind of Hari? From whom they were born - from that Hari, the Supreme Self in the form of the four-faced [Brahmā's] body, from whom they were born along with their occupations, they worship that Hari - this is the meaning. || 34 ||
Thus, after describing the creation, in order to provide an opportunity for further questions, saying that no one is capable of fully describing the glory of the Lord of incomprehensible power, he concludes with "This" - Of the Lord who has the nature of divine action and self - divine means time, as it is connected with being controlled by the gods; karma means the unseen potency of souls, mentioned separately; ātman means the souls controlled by time and karma; He who has bodies in the form of gods etc. - such is the Lord possessing full six opulences. The rise of the power of yogamāyā - yoga means that which is to be united with, and that is māyā, its power means creative potency, its rise means manifestation - of such a Lord, O Kṣattā! O Vidura! Who would have faith, meaning who would be able to comprehend fully, to describe completely this universe? No one - this is the meaning. || 35 ||
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
Following that Brāhmaṇa. He etymologizes the word kṣatra in "yaḥ" - Kaṇṭakas means enemies. "Kaṇṭaka means bamboo, part of a tree, bodily hair, and petty enemy" says Yādava. Kṣatra means that which protects from injury. || 31 ||
Viśa means the vaiśya class, or its presiding deity. Vārtā means livelihood like agriculture, cow protection etc. "Ājīva, jīvikā, vārtā, vṛtti are synonyms for livelihood. Agriculture, animal husbandry and trade are the occupations for women" says Amara. The plural is used for viśa because they were born from Viṣṇu, Brahmā, Vāyu and Rudra. If it is said these were first born from Hari, then from Brahmā etc., how is it proper that Hari is pleased by their occupation? [The answer is] No, because Hari is present within them. Or it may mean the birth of Hari present within them. || 32 ||
The presiding deity of the śūdra class named Kṛti, for accomplishing the karma of service, for the sake of accomplishing the karma called service, in the creation of cities etc., by whose occupation of service. || 33 ||
The duties prescribed for each varṇa themselves, being of the nature of worship of Śrī Hari, are pleasing to Him, not anything else - with this idea he says "These". He gives the reason for that in "From whom born". Because they were born from Viṣṇu along with their prescribed occupations, therefore due to His being their father, guru, worshipable deity and master, for the purification of the self, for the purity of the inner faculties. || 34 ||
The greatness of such a Hari cannot be described even in hundreds of human lifetimes - saying this he states "This". Since the Lord is thus the creator of infinite past, future and present universes, therefore He has the nature of divine action and self - divine means superior to the gods, karma means being the root cause of everything, ātman means all-pervading - such is His nature, as "Rūpa means sound, animal, verse, text, meter, benefit etc., beauty and nature" says Yādava. Who would have faith, who would be able to give an example, to speak an analogy for the power of expansion of the inherent glory of the yogamāyā of that Lord? [No one] due to its infinity - this is the remainder. The meaning stated is not deva meaning fate, portion etc., as per the statement "The word deva [refers to] Hari because He is superior to the gods. Karma is called the root, kṛti is said to be action. And ātman [refers to] Mādhava due to all-pervasiveness and being the Lord of Śrī." || 35 ||
Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmi-kṛtā Krama Sandarbha Vyākhyā
"From the feet" - By whose occupation, i.e. service, done by all including Brāhmaṇas etc. towards oneself, even Hari is pleased - thus the greatness of that occupation is shown. By saying this, in "Abandoning one's own dharma" etc., pleasing the Lord by mere self-dharma alone is not accepted. || 33 ||
Among them, by all these first-born, their own dharma was conceived as being in the form of Hari-worship. Considering the specialty of those of that time, he says "These". Here "From whom" means: From Virāj who is the power of Hari alone, therefore their aim is in Hari-worship alone due to non-difference from Him. || 34 ||
Yogamāyā here means the power of universal creation etc. || 35 ||
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
Kṣatra means the power of protection. Following that means focused on that. The kṣatriya also originated from the arms - this is the meaning. Kaṇṭakas means thieves etc. He protects from kṣata (injury), disturbance caused by them, because he is pauruṣa, belonging to the Puruṣa, having His protective power - this is the meaning. || 31 ||
Viśa means those engaged in agriculture etc. From the thighs, from both thighs, providers of livelihood for people. The vaiśya also, born from that, born from the thigh, who by his own occupation provided vārtā, livelihood. || 32 ||
Śuśrūṣā means service. For the accomplishment of karma, the duties of varṇa and āśrama. Without service, mere karma alone is not accomplished - thus that is the occupation of the śūdra, but in reality it is for all varṇas - this is the idea. Regarding that, the śūdra was born from the feet - this is the remainder. By whose occupation Hari is pleased - thus the superiority of service over even the Vedas etc. is indicated. || 33 ||
Along with occupations - meaning one should not worry about livelihood while worshiping Hari - this is the idea. || 34 ||
Having the nature of divine action and self means having time, karma and inherent nature as His powers. By the power of yogamāyā, whose manifestation is this universe - who would desire to comprehend fully? Even the desire is impossible, let alone the comprehension - this is the idea. || 35 ||
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
The kṣatra (kṣatriya class) emerged from the arms of the puruṣa (cosmic person). One who follows that kṣatra is called a kṣatriya, also known as pauruṣa (born from the puruṣa's arms). He protects others from harm caused by thorns (troublemakers) like thieves etc. || 31 ||
The viśaḥ (vaiśya class), engaged in agriculture and other occupations that are the means of livelihood for people, emerged from the thighs of that puruṣa. || 32 ||
From the feet of the divine puruṣa Viṣṇu, service (śuśrūṣā) was born. When that emerged, for the establishment of dharma and to serve the three upper classes, the śūdra was also born from the feet, by whose occupation Hari himself is pleased. || 33 || 34 ||
O Kṣattā (Vidura)! Who can believe in fully describing the one whose nature consists of daiva (fate), karma (action) and ātman (self), whose cosmic manifestation is empowered by yogamāyā? Who would even desire to describe him? || 35 ||
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā
The second varṇa's origin is described - from the arms it emerged. Kṣatra refers to the Lord's power that protects the world, which emerged from His arms. It means it was internal and then came out externally. Among the varṇas, it is the second one devoted to it. One who is devoted to kṣatra. Just as kṣatra is engaged in protection, so is this one. Due to being born together and having the same origin. Due to being a servant of kṣatra, the suffix gha in "kṣatrāda" indicates it follows the rules and duties, as explained in its etymology as meaning "follower". This is clarified - one who is born. Kṣatriya is one who protects (trāyate) from harm (kṣata), one who by birth itself protects the other three varṇas from thorny harm. "From thorns" is said to exclude protection from disease. Thorns refer to those with demonic portions. For they are like thorns obstructing the earth's progress, obstructing dharma that is. Otherwise, being killers would be contradictory. This prohibits thorns from being a varṇa. "From harm" indicates possibility. This kṣatriya is manly. Born from man is manly. "Manly" is said to indicate capability. (31)
The third varṇa's origin is described - the viś emerged. Vi refers to the livelihoods of all varṇas like agriculture etc. Gleaning etc. are also rooted in that, as what is to be given also comes from that. There, two are producers - agriculture and cattle-rearing. Trade and moneylending bring increase. Although vaiśyas are not instigators in dealings with metals, since one cannot live on metals alone, agriculture and cattle-rearing are the instigators for producing food and juices. The brāhmaṇa obtains protection from thorns etc. from the kṣatriya who was born for that purpose, the kṣatriya from protection. Although forest roots and fruits etc. are useful for living, not everyone can always use those. From that Lord's two thighs, livelihoods emerged. Their purpose is stated - they provide the world's livelihood. They provide the livelihood, means of living, for people. But aren't they formless? And since objects are fixed, and loss etc. are also seen, how can they sustain everything? So it says - of the all-powerful one. For He is capable, by merely resorting to livelihood, removing all faults and sustaining him. To be the basis for those formless ones, the vaiśya emerged from them as the third varṇa. He properly maintained (avartayat) people's livelihood (vārtā). Ya refers to the well-known. Or, vaiśya is separate from "emerged from that". Ya is repetition. "Of people" excludes gods etc. This indicates ordinary people live by that livelihood, not those who have realized the highest truth. Proper maintenance means effortlessly sustaining continuously. (32)
The fourth's origin is described - from the feet. For the all-soul Lord, four types of objects are intended - knowledge, action in the form of protection, livelihood, and service. From that Lord's feet, service in the form of some kind of attendance emerged. Some internal power in the form of devotion to the Lord emerged. Its purpose is stated - for dharma's accomplishment. Dharma occurs only through service - service to the guru, deities, forest, self. In short, all dharmas including wifely devotion culminate in service alone. So service emerged from the Lord's feet as the giver of progress for dharma's accomplishment. This implies the other varṇas are means to other human goals. Vaiśyas accomplish wealth, kṣatriyas accomplish pleasure, brāhmaṇas accomplish liberation. Hence liberation is for brāhmaṇas, enjoyment for kṣatriyas, wealth for vaiśyas, and dharma for śūdras. Since the latter is the cause of the former, the former is taken up only for the latter's sake. So brāhmaṇas perform dharma etc. only for liberation's sake. Similarly kṣatriyas perform dharma etc. only for enjoyment's sake. Similarly vaiśyas perform dharma only for wealth's sake. But śūdras perform the dharma of service only for dharma's sake. So this is great, not performing dharma for other purposes. "By whose livelihood Hari is pleased." Moreover, Hari removes everyone's sorrow, and sorrow goes away through service. So He is pleased even by doing one's duty. The śūdra was born in such service, or for carrying it out. In ancient times at the beginning of creation. But those nowadays have that origin. In service it occurs - the ś and ū combine, are duplicated, one is dropped to become śū, the suffix san becomes da by softening, the r is inverted for indirectness, the final a is dropped after san by rule, no feminine suffix due to lack of feminine gender. Or the secondary suffix aṇ, lack of vṛddhi for indirectness. But "śuga" is etymologized differently by the rule "from hearing disrespect for that, from melting for that", which is not useful for caste. Or that etymology is established with time difference - "In ancient times śūdra". For as long as he does not perform service, for that long he melts (dravati) with sorrow (śuc). Since he lacks wealth etc., if he has no dharma either there would be sorrow, so he melts with that. So in ancient times he becomes a śūdra, but later just a varṇa. The reason for lack of sorrow - "by whose livelihood Hari is pleased". The meaning is everything is accomplished by pleasing Hari. (33)
Thus having stated the origin of the varṇas, their engagement in the Lord is stated - These varṇas. By their own dharma through activities of speech etc. For that is their innate dharma. Worship of the Lord through speech activity for brāhmaṇas, through protection etc. for kṣatriyas, through offering useful objects for service for vaiśyas, through service for śūdras. There service is primary and easiest for all. If all desire only to please the Lord, then only service should be done. If they wish to serve through their own dharma, then service should be done for accomplishing their own dharma. Then to state the fruit of one's own dharma, the Lord's qualities useful for that are stated - Hari as their own guru. By one's own dharma He alone is to be worshipped, who becomes necessary. There the Lord alone is to be worshipped as the teacher of dharma. For He is one's own guru, being produced along with dharma. Just as one who makes known the meaning by uttering words becomes a guru, similarly the Lord first produces livelihood as one's own dharma and then produces Himself for that purpose. Moreover, when done thus there is certainly no sorrow for him, so the doer becomes Hari. "They worship" is stated as if accomplished. Since the ways of dharma are known by birth itself, due to lack of delay, and due to being unfinished, they are always engaged in worshipping the Lord. "They worship" indicates one's own dharma should be done in a way that produces His pleasure. "With faith" is the reason throughout. Self-purification is purification of the inner instrument. For non-atheists it is the fixed fruit everywhere. When the inner instrument is pure, one becomes qualified everywhere, then everything becomes easy. But what is this insistence on constant service? To that it says - because they were born along with their own livelihoods. If not worshipped, in time He will produce non-livelihoods. (34)
Having spoken of the fourfold - the production of the Lord's collective and individual forms, the enjoyment of all gods therein, the production of the four varṇas for His own purpose, and the manner of devotion to the Lord by them - he concludes: "This, O Kṣatta, of the Lord". This fourfold alone has been explained by us as an indication; more should be understood by oneself. Hence the address "O Kṣatta" for skillfulness. Only a billionth part of a billionth of the action-power, which is a part of one potency, has been described; the remaining Lord is indeed complete. Hence he says "of the Lord". Even there, he states the combination of three: "of the form of fate, action and self". Fate is time, action is of beings, self is nature - these too are His own forms. He who has those forms. Where there is infinity even of one form, who can describe Him of four forms, consisting of four infinities? Moreover, where there is the rise of the strength of yogamāyā (divine illusive power), such is His nature. Indeed yogamāyā can create billions of universes in a moment; even its strength is due to the Lord's qualities alone. Or, yogamāyā is the instrument, "rise of strength through yogamāyā". To commence, just as the Vedas are begun with upākaraṇa (commencement ceremony) and concluded with utsarga (conclusion ceremony). There, since the Lord's qualities are also the principal knowledge, their commencement is appropriate. The conclusion is far off; no one can even commence. Even the commencement is far off; who would undertake to do it? In the end, who would even have faith? Therefore, I have superficially narrated the qualities of the Lord's four forms. || 35 ||
Śrīmad Gosvāmi Śrī Puruṣottama Caraṇa Viracitaḥ Śrī Subodhinī Prakāśaḥ
Regarding "bāhubhyaḥ" (from the arms). They consider the etymological meaning of the word "kshatriya" - "saha" (with) etc. This is the dual reason for the servant of the kshatras. "Niyukta" (appointed) means deeply established, like "nirūḍha" (fixed). "Tadeva" (that alone) means the ultimate union. In "śatāni" (hundreds) expressing possibility, the reading "kṣatāt" (from injury) seems appropriate. || 31 ||
Regarding "viśa" (people). They explain the meaning of the word "viśa" - "viśa" etc. Thus, the deities in the form of livelihood are the knowers of the meaning of the word "viśa". They elaborate on this - "śile" etc. "Tata" (from that) means from the vaishya. Disliking how the manifest can arise from the unmanifest, they state an alternative view - "athavā" (or) etc. In this view, "tadudbhavaḥ" means born from the Purusha. || 32 ||
Regarding "padbhyām" (from the feet). "Seva" (service) means physical labor in the form of attendance. "Anena" (by this) means by stating that the shudra caste is a means of dharma. "Uttarasya" etc. means since the later purushartha is the cause of the earlier purushartha, the earlier purushartha is taken to be that from which the meaning of the later, namely liberation, arises; the intent is only respect for the earlier purpose. They elaborate on this - "ata" etc. Apprehending a contradiction with shruti and sutra in this etymology of the word "shudra", they resolve it - "śugasya" etc. Thus, due to difference of context, there is no fault even if that is not accepted. To include that, they state an alternative view - "taṃ vā" etc. || 33 ||
Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī
Kshatriya dharma, the duty of protection, arose from the arms, and the kshatriya devoted to that was born from the arms. He clarifies its protective nature - "ya" etc. The kshatriya who is born protects all castes from injury caused by thorns. Thorns are those like thieves who obstruct the path of dharma and harm society. He states the reason for capability in protection - "pauruṣa" (manly). It means a special protective power of the Lord. || 31 ||
From the thighs of that all-pervading Lord arose the vaishyas, the occupations like agriculture that sustain people's livelihoods. And the vaishya was born from the thighs. The vaishya provided livelihood for all men through his occupation. || 32 ||
From the feet of the cosmic form of the Lord arose service. With that service as the instrumental cause, even the shudra was previously born from the feet. He states its purpose - "dharma-siddhaye" (for accomplishment of dharma). The meaning is that dharma is fulfilled for others through the service performed by the shudra. Then, apprehending that this occupation is inferior, he says - "yat" etc. By whose occupation in the form of service the Lord himself is pleased. What to speak of pleasing others? Because worship takes the form of service, and service is well-known to be the means of controlling the one served. || 33 ||
Having thus described the origin of castes from the Lord, suggesting that all human goals are accomplished only through worship of the Lord, otherwise there would be misfortune due to the fault of ingratitude, he says - "eta" etc. The meaning is: Because these four castes - brahmana etc. - were born from the Lord along with their livelihoods, therefore they worship the Lord, who is most worshipful as father, protector and benevolent instructor, who removes the sorrows of his devotees, for purification of their inner faculties tainted by beginningless sinful tendencies, through that purification which is the gateway, for accomplishment of the human goals of dharma, artha, kama and moksha according to their respective qualifications, with faith befitting their caste and prescribed duties. || 34 ||
Having thus described the sport of creation, to provide an opportunity for further questions, saying that no one is capable of fully describing the glory of the Lord of infinite majesty, he concludes - "etat" etc. Implying that what has been stated briefly should be understood in detail by oneself, he addresses - "kṣatta" etc. The meaning is: Who would have faith to fully describe this act of the Lord, who has the forms of fate (the time that governs the gods), karma (unseen potential), self (innate nature), in whom arises the power of yogamaya that is employed for creation etc. - yoga being the power that is engaged for the purpose of action, and that is also maya, its strength being the capacity for creation etc., in whom that becomes manifest. No one. Even faith in describing is impossible, let alone the description itself. || 35 ||
Hindī Anuvāda
From His arms, the kṣatriya (warrior) class and its function of protecting others emerged, which, being a part of the Virāṭ Lord, takes birth to protect all classes from disturbances like thieves. ॥ 31 ॥
From both thighs of the Lord, the vaiśya (merchant) profession that sustains all people was born, and from them the vaiśya class also appeared. This class maintains the livelihood of all beings through its profession. ॥ 32 ॥
Then, for the fulfillment of all dharmas, the service profession emerged from the Lord's feet, and from them first appeared the śūdra (laborer) class entitled to that profession, by whose service Śrī Hari becomes pleased. ॥ 33 ॥
These four classes, along with their respective professions from which they originated, worship their guru Śrī Hari with devotion through their respective dharmas for the purification of their minds. ॥ 34 ॥
Vidura! This Virāṭ Puruṣa (Cosmic Form) manifests the influence of the Lord's yogamāyā (divine illusion) combined with time, karma, and nature. Who can dare to fully describe its form? ॥ 35 ॥
SB 3.6.31-35
