Verse 18.42

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 18.42:

शमो दमस् तपः शौचं क्षान्तिर् आर्जवम् एव च ।
ज्ञानं विज्ञानम् आस्तिक्यं ब्रह्म-कर्म स्वभाव-जम् ॥ ४२ ॥

śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṃ kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca |
jñānaṃ vijñānam āstikyaṃ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam || 42 ||

śamaḥ–control of the mind; damaḥ–control over the senses; tapaḥ–bodily austerity mentioned in the scriptures; śaucam–internal and external cleanliness; kṣāntiḥ–tolerance; ārjavam–simplicity; eva–certainly; ca–and; jñānam–transcendental knowledge; vijñānam–realized knowledge; āstikyam–firm faith in the philosophical conclusions of scriptures concerning the existence of God; brahma–of the brāhmaṇas;karma–the proper duties; svabhāva-jam–born out of their own nature.

Control of the mind and senses, austerity, cleanliness, tolerance, simplicity, transcendental knowledge, realization of that knowledge and firm faith in the existence of God are the characteristic duties of the brāhmaṇas and born of their nature.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

Now the karma (duty) of brāhmaṇas, who are influenced predominantly by the mode of goodness, is being described. Śamaḥ refers to control of the internal sense, the mind. Damaḥ means ‘control of the external physical senses’. Tapaḥ refers to the prescribed work performed by the body. Jñāna-vijñāne means ‘knowledge and realization of the scripture’. Āstikatā means ‘firm faith in the meaning and purport of scripture’. All these are the natural activities of the brāhmaṇas.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.11.21), the qualities of the brāhmaṇas are described: control of the mind and senses, penance, cleanliness, satisfaction, tolerance, simplicity, knowledge, mercy, truthfulness and devotion to the Supreme Lord.

śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṃ santoṣaḥ kṣāntir ārjavam
jñānaṃ dayācyutātmatvaṃ satyaṃ ca brahma-lakṣaṇam

Also in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.17.16), Śrī Kṛṣṇa tells Uddhava that control of the mind and senses, performance of penance, cleanliness, satisfaction, tolerance, simplicity, devotion to Bhagavān, mercy and truthfulness are the qualities of the brāhmaṇas.

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.5.24), Rṣabhadeva says:

dhṛtā tanūr uśatī me purāṇī yeneha sattvaṃ paramaṃ pavitram
śamo damaḥ satyam anugrahaś ca tapas titikṣānubhavaś ca yatra

Who can be superior to the brāhmaṇas? By their study they are sustaining the Vedas, which are My very beautiful and primeval form incarnated as transcendental sound. They are endowed with the eight supremely pure qualities of the mode goodness: control of the mind, control of the senses, truthfulness, mercy, penance, tolerance, knowledge and realization (bhakti).

Here, it should be understood that a real brāhmaṇa, who is endowed with such qualities, cannot harm or be violent to any person, society, community or nation. Undoubtedly, such individuals are the well-wishing friends of every living being. This statement is most definitely true. But those who parade as brāhmaṇas while being bereft of brahminical qualities will only cause great harm to society. Of this there is no doubt.

Still, it is not correct to despise the whole caste system because of this defect and consequently strive to completely destroy it. The proper course of action is to correct the visible defects that have crept into this system in due course of time and to honour those who truly possess good qualities.

According to the Gītā, a person should be appropriately honoured upon the ascertainment of his caste, which is determined by his qualities, actions, nature and his impressions from previous lives. This will make it possible for brāhmaṇas like Vasiṣṭha, Nārada and Vyāsa to make their appearance in our society. Peace and happiness will be established throughout the world if such elevated brāhmaṇas and heroic kṣatriyas like Śrī Rāma, Arjuna, Bhīma and Mahārāja Bharata take birth here.

Today, the atheistic society that is taking shape has no concern for caste or family divisions. Murder, theft, armed-robbery, cheating and other sinful activities are prominent. Agitation and fear are all-pervading. The world has never before seen such a miserable condition. It is said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.11.35):

yasya yal-lakṣaṇaṃ proktaṃ puṃso varṇābhivyañjakam
yad anyatrāpi dṛśyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiśet

A person’s caste can be ascertained by noting particular symptoms in him, and accordingly, his proper social position should be assigned. Caste cannot be decided merely by birth.

In the present age, nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa oṃ viṣṇupāda aṣṭottara-śata Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda, the founder of the worldwide Gauḍīya Mission, re-established daiva-varṇāśrama-dharma in this modern age, based on various evidences from Śruti and Smṛti as well as on time-honoured customs.