Vayu Purana

ये वै परिगृहीतारस्तासामासन्विधात्मकाः। इतरेषां कृतत्राणाः स्थापयामास क्षत्रियान्

Those who took possession of them became their administrators; for the others, protectors were appointed, and the Kshatriyas were established.

उपतिष्ठन्ति ये तान्वै यावन्तो निर्भयास्तथा। सत्यं ब्रह्म यथा भूतं यथा भूतं ब्रुवन्तो ब्राह्मणाश्च ते

Those who serve them, as many as are fearless, and those Brahmins who speak truth and reality as it is, are also included.

ये चान्येप्यबलास्तेषां वैश्यसंकर्मसंस्थिताः। कीनाशा नाशयन्ति स्म पृथिव्यां प्रागतन्द्रिताः। वैश्यानेव तु तानाहुः की नाशान् वृत्तिसाधकान्

And others, lacking strength, engaged in the tasks of the Vaishyas; the laborers destroyed things on earth, previously diligent. These laborers are called Vaishyas, those who earn their livelihood by such work.

शोचन्तश्च द्रवन्तश्च परिचर्यासु ये रताः। निस्तेजसोऽल्पवीर्याश्च शूद्रास्तानब्रवीत्तु सः

Those who grieve and flee, who delight in service, lacking energy and possessing little strength, are called Shudras by him.

तेषां कर्माणि धर्माश्च ब्रह्मा तु व्यदधात् प्रभुः। संस्थितौ प्राकृतायां तु चातुर्वर्णस्य सर्वशः

For them, the Lord Brahma assigned duties and laws, in the original establishment of the fourfold class system, for all.

पुनः प्रजास्तु ता मोहात् तान् धर्मांस्तानपालयन्। वर्ण धर्मैरजीवन्त्यो व्यरुध्यन्त परस्परम्

Again, those people, out of delusion, neglected those duties; living by the laws of their classes, they began to obstruct one another.

ब्रह्मा तमर्थं बुद्ध्वा तु याथातथ्येन वै प्रभुः। क्षत्रियाणां बलं दण्डं युद्धमाजीवमादिशत्

Brahma, understanding that situation truthfully, the Lord, prescribed strength, punishment, and warfare as the livelihood for the Kshatriyas.

याजनाध्यापनं चैव तृतीयं च परिग्रहम्। ब्राह्मणानां विभुस्तेषां कर्माण्येतान्यथादिशत्

He assigned to the Brahmins the acts of officiating in sacrifices, teaching, and thirdly, accepting gifts; these are their prescribed duties.

पाशुपाल्यं च वाणिज्यं कृषिं चैव विशां ददौ। शिल्पाजीवं भृतिञ्चैव शूद्राणां व्यदधात् प्रभुः

He gave to the Vaishyas animal husbandry, trade, and agriculture; and to the Shudras, the Lord assigned crafts and service as their means of livelihood.

सामान्यानि तु कर्माणि ब्रह्मक्षत्रविशां पुनः। यजनाध्ययनं दानं सामान्यानि तु तेषु च

Common duties for Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas are again stated: sacrifice, study, and giving are common among them.

कर्माजीवं ततो दत्त्वा तेभ्यश्चैव परस्परम्। लोकान्तरेषु स्थानानि तेषां सिद्ध्याऽददत् प्रभुः

After assigning work and livelihood to each, the Lord granted them places in other worlds according to their success.

प्राजापत्यं ब्राह्मणानां स्मृतं स्थानं क्रियावताम्। स्थानमैन्द्रं क्षत्रियाणां संग्रामष्वेपलायिनाम्

The place of the Brahmins who perform rites is remembered as that of Prajapati; the place of the Kshatriyas who excel in battle is that of Indra.

वैश्यानां मारुतं स्थानं स्वधर्ममुपजीविनाम्। गान्धर्वं शूद्रजातीनां प्रतिचारेण तिष्ठताम्

The place of the Vaishyas who live by their own duty is that of Marut; the Gandharva realm is for Shudras who remain in service.

स्थानान्येतानि वर्णानां व्यत्याचारवतां स्वयम्। ततः स्थितेषु वर्णेषु स्थापयामास चाश्रमान्

These are the places for the classes, according to their own conduct; then, when the classes were established, he instituted the stages of life.

गृहस्थो ब्रह्मचारित्वं वानप्रस्थं सभिक्षुकम्। आश्रमांश्चतुरो ह्येतान् पूर्वमास्थापयत् प्रभुः

Householder, student, forest-dweller, and mendicant—these four stages of life were first established by the Lord.

वर्णकर्माणि ये केचित्तेषामिह न कुर्वते । कुतः कर्मा क्षितिं प्राहुराश्रमस्थानवासिनः

Those who do not perform the duties of their class here—how can there be duties for those who dwell in the places of the stages of life?

ब्रह्मा तान् स्थापयामास आश्रमान्नामनामतः। निर्द्देशार्थं ततस्तेषां ब्रह्मा धर्मान् प्रभाषत। प्रस्थानानि च तेषां वै यमांश्च नियमांश्च ह

Brahma established them by the names of the stages of life; for the sake of specification, he declared their laws, their paths, and their restraints.

चातुर्वर्णात्मकः पूर्वं गृहस्थश्चाश्रमः स्मृतः। त्रयाणामाश्रमाणाञ्च प्रतिष्ठायोनिरेव च। यथाक्रमं प्रवक्ष्यामि यमैश्च नियमैश्च ते

Formerly, the householder stage was regarded as consisting of the four social classes; and it is indeed the foundation and source of the other three stages. I will explain to you, in due order, along with their restraints and observances.

दाराऽग्नयोऽथातिथेय इज्याश्राद्धक्रियाः प्रजाः। इत्येष वै गृहस्थस्य समासाद्धर्मसंग्रहः

Wife, sacred fires, hospitality to guests, sacrifices, ancestral rites, and offspring—this, in brief, is the collection of duties for a householder.

दण्डी च मेखली चैव ह्यधः शायी तथा जटी। गुरुशुश्रूषणं भैक्षं विद्याद्वै ब्रह्मचारिणः

Carrying a staff, wearing a girdle, sleeping on the ground, and having matted hair—service to the teacher and alms-begging are to be known as the marks of a student.

चीरपत्राजिनानि स्युर्द्धान्यमूलफलौषधम्। उभे सन्ध्येऽवगाहश्च होमश्वारण्य वासिनाम्

Bark garments, leaves, deer skin, grains, roots, fruits, and medicinal herbs, bathing at both twilights, and offering oblations—these are for those dwelling in the forest.

आसन्नमुसले भैक्षमस्तेयं शौचमेव च। अप्रमादोऽव्यवायश्च दया भूतेषु च क्षमा

Alms obtained near the threshing floor, non-stealing, purity, vigilance, celibacy, compassion towards beings, and forgiveness—these are prescribed.

अक्रोधो गुरुशुश्रूषा सत्यञ्च दशमं स्मृतम्। दशलक्षणिको ह्येष धर्मः प्रोक्तः स्वयम्भुवा

Absence of anger, service to the teacher, truthfulness—these are remembered as the tenth; thus, this tenfold characteristic of dharma has been declared by the Self-born.

भिक्षोर्व्रतानि पञ्चात्र पञ्चैवोपव्रतानि च। आचारशुद्धिर्नियमः शौचञ्च प्रतिकर्म च। सम्यग्दर्शनमित्येवं पञ्चैवोपव्रतान्यपि

For the mendicant, there are five vows and five subsidiary vows: purity of conduct, discipline, cleanliness, performance of duties, and right vision—these are the five subsidiary vows as well.

ध्यानं समाधिर्मनसेन्द्रियाणां ससागरैर्भैक्षमथोपगम्य। मौनं पवित्रोपचितैर्विमुक्तिः परिव्रजो धर्ममिमं वदन्ति

Meditation, concentration, control of mind and senses, alms obtained from the ocean of people, silence, purity accumulated—these are said to be the path of liberation for the wandering ascetic.

सर्वे ते श्रेयसे प्रोक्तो आश्रमा ब्रहमणा स्वयम्। सत्यार्ज्जवन्तपः क्षान्तिर्योगेज्या दमपूर्विका

All these stages of life have been declared by Brahmā himself for the highest good: truthfulness, uprightness, austerity, forbearance, yoga, sacrifice, and self-control as their foundation.

वेदाः साङ्गाश्च यज्ञाश्च व्रतानि नियमाश्च ये। न सिद्ध्यन्ति प्रदुष्टस्य भावदोष उपागते

The Vedas with their auxiliaries, sacrifices, vows, and disciplines—none of these succeed for one whose mind is corrupted by faults.

बहिः कर्माणि सर्वाणि प्रसिद्धयन्ति कदाचन। अन्तर्भावप्रदुष्टस्य कुर्वतोऽपि पराक्रमान्

All external actions may sometimes become renowned, but for one whose inner disposition is corrupted, even great efforts do not succeed.

सर्वस्वमपि योदद्यात् कलुषेणान्तरात्मना। न तेन धर्मभाक् स स्याद्भाव एवात्र कारणम्

Even if one were to give away all his possessions with an impure heart, he would not become a partaker of dharma; for the inner disposition alone is the cause here.