In Namams 275 to365, the Divine Mother’s many forms providing benefits to Her devotees in great details are discussed.
The Divine Mother has established the order of the professional and life stage divisions for human race.
The Divine Mother created the varnas and asramas for human race. Varnas are professional divisions of the society namely: Brahmana (teachers and educators), Kshtriya (warriors, providers of security), Vaisyas (business community) and Sudras (essential service providers); Asrama are four stages of one’s life namely: Brahamacarya (bachelor), Grahastha (householder), Vanaprasatha (senior citizen) and Sannyasa (matured detached senior).
As described in namam 285, the Divine Mother has created four faced Brahma to very small minute creatures in this universe. For showing the good path for all these billions of creatures, She created the Vedas Karmakandam and Brahmakandam. Basically the Karmakandam is for use by the humans. She has separated the humans based on gunas (attributes and trades) into four varnas and four asramas. These varnas and asramas follow the certain preconditions listed in Vedas given by the Divine Mother. So She gives out the varnas and asramas which act as social order to the human race in the universe.
The four types of varnas are
described as follows:
1.
Brahmanas with predominantly sattvic
qualities have attributes like truthfulness, not stealing, not acquiring nor
accepting wealth from others and engaging in the study of the scriptures. Their
intellectual power is their strength. They are usually teachers or priests in
temple service.
2.
Kshtriyas have more rajasic over
sattvic qualities; their attributes lead them to be as warriors; they follow
the truth and dharma; they get angry towards injustices.
3.
Vaisyas have rajasic qualities
predominate than tamasic ones; they are diligent, skillful and enterprising;
they are merchants and industrialists; they can use a bit of deceit in
achieving their goals. For them the stomach and the heart are important.
4. Sudras are the people predominately with tamasic attributes; they have relatively less intelligence; they face many dangers and misery in their lives; they may not follow the dharma and truth well enough in their lives; they are happy doing menial jobs.
If we consider Virat Pursha as the universal society, the above four varnas become respectively the head, hands, the trunk of the body including chest and abdomen, and waist and his feet. We also noted that these four varnas are based on gunas (attributes) and actions.
Four stages (asramas) in one’s life
are: Brahamacarya, Grahastha, Vanaprasatha and Sannyasa. The completeness of
the life underlines this order.
·
The Brahamacarya is the one who
should be engaged solely in studies. Any indulgence in pleasures of the senses
or in agitations ruins his life without knowing the problem due to it. He will
forget the meaning and goal of his life. He will not have lofty ideas and
contended life going forward.
·
For a householder, with uncontrolled
youthful life will lead to premature aging and untimely death. A householder
who spends wisely his youthful years, can later pass on the family burden to
his children; spend time helping others and enriching his religious life. This
is called “Vanaprastha.”
·
It is a pity if an old man continues
to struggle day and night to seek earnings for meeting his own and his family
needs. One ancient poet wrote:”Alas, you poor black incest, not only do you
fall into the flame, you put out the lamp too!”
· The Divine Mother sings “Always remember. O mind, this supreme truth: there is none that is your own.” Sannyasa is close to the truth of this saying.
Such life stage classifications are
based on practical aspects of life. These are known as Sanatana Dharma, the
eternal code of life set up through Vedas by the Divine Mother.
C N Nachiappun
Singapore, 06 November 2020.
References:
1. The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by
Mata Amritanandamayi Center, San Ramon, California, USA, with Commentary by T.
V Narayana Menon
2. Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N.
Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Trichirapalli, India, with Commentary by
C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.
3. The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sithbavandar.
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