Herein we have a detailed enumeration of the duties of a Brahmana born out of his own predominantly Sattwic nature. Serenity (Shama), is one of his duties. Shama is controlling the mind from running into the world-of-objects seeking sense-enjoyments. Even if we shut off the world-of-objects by carrying ourselves away from the tumults and temptations of life into a quiet, lonely place, even there our minds will stride forth into the sense-fields through the memories of our past indulgences. To control consciously this instinctive flow of the mind towards the sense-objects is called Shama.
SELF-CONTROL (Dama) — Controlling the sense-organs, which are the gateways through which the external world of stimuli infiltrates into our mental domain and mars our peace, is called Dama. A man practising Dama, even if he be in the midst of sensuous objects, is not disturbed by them. A true Brahmana is one who practises constantly both Shama and Dama, serenity and self-control.
AUSTERITY (Tapas) — Conscious physical self-denial in order to economise the expenditure of human energy so lavishly spent in the wrong channels of sense-indulgence, and conserving it for reaching the higher unfoldment within is called Tapas. By the practice of Shama and Dama, the Brahmana will be steadily controlling both the mad rush of his senses and his mind-wandering. This helps him to conserve his inner vitality which would have been otherwise spent in hunting after sense-joys. This conserved energy is utilised for higher flights in meditation. This subjective process of economising, conserving, and redirecting one’s energies within is called Tapas. It is a Brahmana’s duty to live in Tapas.
PURITY (Shaucham) — The Sanskrit term used here includes external cleanliness and internal purity. Habits of cleanliness in one’s personal life and surroundings are the governing conditions in the life of one who is practising both Shama and Dama. The practice of Tapas makes him such a disciplined person that he cannot stand any disorderly confusion or state of neglect around and about him. A person living in the midst of things thrown about in a disorderly manner is certainly a man of slothful nature and slovenly habits. It is the duty of the Brahmana to keep himself ever clean and pure.
FORBEARANCE (Kshaanti) — To be patient and forgiving and thus to live without struggling even against wrongs done against one, is “forbearance” — the duty of a Brahmana. Such an individual will never harbour any hatred for anyone; he lives equanimously amidst both the good and the bad.
UPRIGHTNESS (Aarjavam) — This is a quality which makes an individual straightforward in all his dealings, and his uprightness makes him fearless in life. He is afraid of none, and he makes no compromise of the higher calls with the lower murmurings.
Cultivating the above six qualities — serenity (Shama), self-control (Dama), austerity (Tapas), purity (Shaucham), forbearance (Kshaanti), and straightforwardness (Aarjavam) — and expressing them in all his relationships with the world outside is the life-long duty of a Brahmana. The above-mentioned six artistic strokes complete the picture of a Brahmana on the stage of the world when he deals with things and beings in the various situations in life. The Lord enumerates, in the stanza, three more duties of a Brahmana which are the rules of conduct controlling his spiritual life.
KNOWLEDGE (Jnaanam) — The theoretical knowledge of the world, of the structure of the equipments-of-experience and their behaviour while coming in contact with the outer world, of the highest goal of life, of the nature of the spirit — in short, knowledge of all that the Upanishads deal with — is included in the term Jnaanam.
WISDOM (Vijnaanam) — If ‘theoretical knowledge’ is Jnaanam then ‘personal experience’ is Vijnaanam. Knowledge digested and assimilated brings home to man an inward experience, and thereafter, he comes to live his life guided by this deep inner experience called “wisdom.” Knowledge can be imparted, but “wisdom” is to be found by the individual in himself. When a student discovers in himself the enthusiasm to live the knowledge gained through his studies, then from the field of his lived experience arises “wisdom” — Vijnaanam.
FAITH (Aastikyam) — Unless one has a deep faith in what one has studied and lived, the living itself will not be enthusiastic and full. This ardency of conviction which is the motive-force behind one who lives what he has understood, is the secret sustaining power that steadily converts KNOWLEDGE into “wisdom.” This inner order, this intellectual honesty, this subtle unflagging enthusiasm, is called “FAITH.”
To grow and steadily cultivate knowledge, wisdom and faith are the sacred duties of a Brahmana in his spiritual life.
WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF A ‘KSHATRIYA?’
