॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Tuesday, 24 January 2023 VII.11 - Sage Narada lists the qualities that typify a good Brahmin and how a housewife should conduct herself.
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King Yudhishthira feels blessed to have heard the story of Bhakta Prahlada and Bhagavan Narasimha. He now asks Sage Narada to instruct the assembly in regard to the model code of conduct for various Varnas and in different social roles.
This is an important discussion as most of us are searching for such guidance even today. Yudhishthira prefaces his request with eulogising Sage Narada as the exalted son of Brahma himself and most revered as a learned sage in the three worlds.
Sage Narada is pleased to answer and says that whatever he has learnt and will now convey has been learnt by him from Bhagavan Narayana of Nara-Narayana fame who dwells in eternal meditation even today in Badarikashrama for the welfare of all creation.
Sage Narada begins by listing a great set of 30 qualities that everyone should practise for betterment in this world and in the world hereafter.
- Truthfulness
- Compassion
- Austerity
- Cleanliness
- Fortitude (in suffering)
- Discrimination between right and wrong.
- Self-control ( body and senses)
- Non-violence
- Celibacy/continence
- Non-possessiveness
- Self-study
- Simplicity
- Cheerfulness
- Equanimity
- Service of noble souls
- Poise and measured conduct
- Gradual detachment from physical pleasures
- The realisation that egoistic endeavours produce adverse results
- Reticence
- Self-contemplation
- Generosity in feeding and caring for animals and creatures around
- Seeing own self and God in others- humans and animals.
- Seeking the company of holy men.
- Chanting the names of Bhagavan Sri Krishna.
- Singing Bhagavan's glories
- Constant remembrance of the Lord
- Serving the Lord in all acts
- CeremonialWorship
- Considering the Lord as one's friend and beloved
- Surrender to the Lord
After listing these, Sage Narada sets the benchmark for who is indeed a Brahmin. He begins by saying that being a Brahmin is not some accidental birth but results from several lives of acquiring good tendencies and godliness reflecting Brahma himself. So how does a Brahmin conduct himself?
शमो दमस्तप: शौचं सन्तोष: क्षान्तिरार्जवम् । ज्ञानं दयाच्युतात्मत्वं सत्यं च ब्रह्मलक्षणम् ॥
T: Self-control of mind and body, cleanliness, cheerfulness, forbearance and forgiveness, transparency, knowledge and wisdom, compassion, considering oneself the servant of the Lord - these symbolise a true Brahmin. Narada emphasises that a Brahmin does not engage in business and menial activities ever.
Similarly, a Kshatriya is described as one of great strength, fortitude, readiness to sacrifice oneself in upholding others' interests, fairness in tax collection, and service of the learned/Brahmins.
He also describes how Vaishyas and Shudras should conduct themselves. The common theme is devotion, respecting social values, and self-control across all categories.
How should a woman be? She should be a great homemaker, loving and serving her husband as Devi Lakshmi serves Bhagavan Vishnu! She should display affection, competence, mindfulness, anticipation, efficiency and diligence. No wonder we in Sanatana Dharma worship God as Mother, Devi!
Many other details are given. Narada also clarifies that Dharma is not a static, rigid, carved-in-stone kind of book of rules.
प्राय: स्वभावविहितो नृणां धर्मो युगे युगे । वेददृग्भि: स्मृतो राजन्प्रेत्य चेह च शर्मकृत् ॥
T: The knowers of Veda and great sages have time to time prescribed the ideals of human conduct across roles and sections of society taking into account human tendencies and aspirations, such that people achieve felicity in the here and the hereafter for themselves and society.
