Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.22.4
तमेतमिह पुरुषास्त्रय्या विद्यया वर्णाश्रमाचारानुपथा उच्चावचै: कर्मभिराम्नातैर्योगवितानैश्च श्रद्धया यजन्तोऽञ्जसा श्रेय: समधिगच्छन्ति ॥ ४ ॥
tam etam iha puruṣās trayyā vidyayā varṇāśramācārānupathā uccāvacaiḥ karmabhir āmnātair yoga-vitānaiś ca śraddhayā yajanto ’ñjasā śreyaḥ samadhigacchanti.
[tam etam iha purushaas trayyaa vidyayaa varnaashramaachaaraanupathaa uchchaavachaih karmabhir aamnaatair yoga-vitaanaish cha shraddhayaa yajanto ’njasaa shreyah samadhigachchanti.]
Word-for-word
tam
—
Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead)
etam
—
this
iha
—
in this world of mortality
puruṣāḥ
—
all people
trayyā
—
having three divisions
vidyayā
—
by the Vedic knowledge
varṇa-āśrama-ācāra
—
the practices of the varṇāśrama system
anupathāḥ
—
following
ucca-avacaiḥ
—
higher or lower according to the different positions in the varṇāśrama-dharma (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra)
karmabhiḥ
—
by their respective activities
āmnātaiḥ
—
handed down
yoga-vitānaiḥ
—
by meditation and other yogic processes
ca
—
and
śraddhayā
—
with great faith
yajantaḥ
—
worshiping
añjasā
—
without difficulty
śreyaḥ
—
the ultimate benefit of life
samadhigacchanti
—
they attain.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tam etam iha puruṣās trayyā vidyayā varṇāśramācārānupathā uccāvacaiḥ karmabhir āmnātair yoga-vitānaiś ca śraddhayā yajanto ’ñjasā śreyaḥ samadhigacchanti.
tam
Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead)
etam
this
iha
in this world of mortality
puruṣāḥ
all people
trayyā
having three divisions
vidyayā
by the Vedic knowledge
varṇa-āśrama-ācāra
the practices of the varṇāśrama system
anupathāḥ
following
ucca-avacaiḥ
higher or lower according to the different positions in the varṇāśrama-dharma (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra)
karmabhiḥ
by their respective activities
āmnātaiḥ
handed down
yoga-vitānaiḥ
by meditation and other yogic processes
ca
and
śraddhayā
with great faith
yajantaḥ
worshiping
añjasā
without difficulty
śreyaḥ
the ultimate benefit of life
samadhigacchanti
they attain.
According to the system of four varṇas and four āśramas, people generally worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, who is situated as the sun-god. With great faith they worship the Supreme Personality as the Supersoul according to ritualistic ceremonies handed down in the three Vedas, such as agnihotra and similar higher and lower fruitive acts, and according to the process of mystic yoga. In this way they very easily attain the ultimate goal of life.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
People, by following varṇāśrama conduct and worshipping the sun with faith by yoga and by regulated activities high and low which are authorized by the Vedas, easily attain the highest goal.
People who follow (anupathāḥ) varṇāśrama and worship the sun in the form of Indra and others by activities mentioned in the Vedas (trayyā), and by aṣṭāṅga-yoga (yoga-vitānaiḥ), attain the highest goal.
Personal Guidance
Within the varṇāśrama framework, people easily attain the ultimate goal by worshipping the Lord as the Supersoul through ritual or yoga. Structure makes the goal accessible. Don't despise a workable framework just because it seems unglamorous.
Reflection Questions
- Where am I rejecting helpful structure (rituals, schedules, roles) in the name of spontaneity?
- What framework, embraced, could make my spiritual goal genuinely accessible?
My note
Source: vedabase.io