SB 8.5.41 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.5.41

विप्रो मुखाद् ब्रह्म च यस्य गुह्यं राजन्य आसीद् भुजयोर्बलं च । ऊर्वोर्विडोजोऽङ्‍‍घ्रिरवेदशूद्रौ प्रसीदतां न: स महाविभूति: ॥ ४१ ॥

vipro mukhād brahma ca yasya guhyaṁ

[vipro mukhaad brahma cha yasya guhyam]

rājanya āsīd bhujayor balaṁ ca

[raajanya aaseed bhujayor balam cha]

ūrvor viḍ ojo ’ṅghrir aveda-śūdrau

[oorvor vid ojo ’nghrir aveda-shoodrau]

prasīdatāṁ naḥ sa mahā-vibhūtiḥ

[praseedataam nah sa mahaa-vibhootih]

Word-for-word

vipraḥ — the brāhmaṇas mukhāt — from His mouth brahma — the Vedic literatures ca — also yasya — of whom guhyam — from His confidential knowledge rājanyaḥ — the kṣatriyas āsīt — became possible bhujayoḥ — from His arms balam ca — as well as bodily strength ūrvoḥ — from the thighs viṭ — vaiśyas ojaḥ — and their expert productive knowledge aṅghriḥ — from His feet aveda — those who are beyond the jurisdiction of Vedic knowledge śūdrau — the worker class prasīdatām — may be pleased naḥ — upon us saḥ — He mahā-vibhūtiḥ — the supremely powerful Personality of Godhead.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

vipro mukhād brahma ca yasya guhyaṁ

vipraḥ

the brāhmaṇas

mukhāt

from His mouth

brahma

the Vedic literatures

also

yasya

of whom

guhyam

from His confidential knowledge

rājanya āsīd bhujayor balaṁ ca

rājanyaḥ

the kṣatriyas

āsīt

became possible

bhujayoḥ

from His arms

balam ca

as well as bodily strength

ūrvor viḍ ojo ’ṅghrir aveda-śūdrau

ūrvoḥ

from the thighs

viṭ

vaiśyas

ojaḥ

and their expert productive knowledge

aṅghriḥ

from His feet

aveda

those who are beyond the jurisdiction of Vedic knowledge

śūdrau

the worker class

prasīdatāṁ naḥ sa mahā-vibhūtiḥ

prasīdatām

may be pleased

naḥ

upon us

saḥ

mahā-vibhūtiḥ

the supremely powerful Personality of Godhead.

The brāhmaṇas and Vedic knowledge come from the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the kṣatriyas and bodily strength come from His arms, the vaiśyas and their expert knowledge in productivity and wealth come from His thighs, and the śūdras, who are outside of Vedic knowledge, come from His feet. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full in prowess, be pleased with us.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

May the Lord, who possesses great vibhūtis, from whose mouth arose the brāhmaṇas and Vedas, from whose arms arose the kṣatriyas and strength, from whose thighs arose vaiśyas and their skill, and from whose feet arose śūdras and their occupation of service, be pleased with us! From the mouth arose the brāhmaṇas and the Vedas (guhyam). Viṭ means vaiśya. Ojaḥ means the vaiśya’s skill and occupation. From the feet arose the śūdras and their occupation of service which excludes the Vedas (aveda). Another version has viśo ‘ṅgher abhavat śūdra: from the feet appeared the śūdras.

Personal Guidance

Brāhmaṇas from His mouth, kṣatriyas from His arms, vaiśyas from His thighs, śūdras from His feet — varṇāśrama is a description of one cosmic body. The point is harmony, not hierarchy. Each part is needed; none is unworthy.

Reflection Questions

Which of these four functions am I most despising or romanticizing, and why?
How can I serve the part of social anatomy I currently occupy with greater dignity?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io