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Shloka 2

Nimi Questions the Yogendras: Varṇāśrama’s Purpose, Ritualism’s Fall, and Yuga-Avatāras with Kali-yuga Saṅkīrtana

श्रीचमस उवाच मुखबाहूरुपादेभ्य: पुरुषस्याश्रमै: सह । चत्वारो जज्ञिरे वर्णा गुणैर्विप्रादय: पृथक् ॥ २ ॥

śrī-camasa uvāca mukha-bāhūru-pādebhyaḥ puruṣasyāśramaiḥ saha catvāro jajñire varṇā guṇair viprādayaḥ pṛthak

ศรีจมสกล่าวว่า: จากพระพักตร์ พระพาหา พระเพลา และพระบาทของปุรุษในรูปจักรวาล—ด้วยการผสมผสานของคุณะที่ต่างกัน—บังเกิดวรรณะทั้งสี่มีพราหมณ์เป็นต้น และพร้อมกันนั้นอาศรมทั้งสี่ก็อุบัติขึ้นด้วย

श्री-चमसःthe revered Camasa
श्री-चमसः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootचमस (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘श्री’ honorific
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
मुख-बाहु-ऊरु-पादेभ्यःfrom the mouth, arms, thighs, and feet
मुख-बाहु-ऊरु-पादेभ्यः:
Apadana (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootमुख (प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक) + ऊरु (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative): ‘मुखात् बाहुभ्याम् ऊरुभ्याम् पादेभ्यः’ (collectively)
पुरुषस्यof the Supreme Person
पुरुषस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
आश्रमैःtogether with the āśramas (stages of life)
आश्रमैः:
Sahakari/Instrument (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootआश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन
सहwith
सह:
Saha (सह)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसह (अव्यय)
Formसह-सम्बन्धी अव्यय (indeclinable meaning ‘with’)
चत्वारःfour
चत्वारः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootचतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण
जज्ञिरेwere born / arose
जज्ञिरे:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootजन् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद
वर्णाःsocial classes (varṇas)
वर्णाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन
गुणैःby the qualities (guṇas)
गुणैः:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन
विप्र-आदयःbeginning with the brāhmaṇas
विप्र-आदयः:
Apposition (विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘विप्रः आदिः येषाम्’ (beginning with brāhmaṇas)
पृथक्separately / distinctly
पृथक्:
Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपृथक् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Those who are not spontaneously attracted to the devotional service of the Lord can be gradually purified by observing the varṇāśrama system of four social orders and four spiritual orders. According to Śrīdhara Svāmī, the brāhmaṇas are born of the mode of goodness, the kṣatriyas of a combination of goodness and passion, the vaiśyas of a combination of passion and ignorance and the śūdras of the mode of ignorance. Just as the four social orders are born from the face, arms, thighs and feet of the Lord’s universal form, similarly the brahmacārīs are generated from the heart of the Lord, the householder order from His loins, the vānaprasthas from His chest and the sannyāsa order from His head.

P
Puruṣa (Supreme Person)

FAQs

This verse states that the four varṇas—starting with brāhmaṇas—arise from the Supreme Person’s mouth, arms, thighs, and feet, and are distinguished by guṇas (qualities).

Śrī Camasa, one of the Navayogendras, speaks as the Yogendras instruct King Nimi about dharma and the varṇāśrama system.

It encourages evaluating oneself and others by character and conduct—cultivating sattvic qualities, service, truthfulness, and devotion—rather than reducing identity to external labels.