Devanagari
वर्णानामाश्रमाणां च जन्मभूम्यनुसारिणी: ।
आसन् प्रकृतयो नृणां नीचैर्नीचोत्तमोत्तमा: ॥ १५ ॥
Verse text
varṇānām āśramāṇāṁ ca
janma-bhūmy-anusāriṇīḥ
āsan prakṛtayo nṝnāṁ
nīcair nīcottamottamāḥ
Synonyms
varṇānām
—
of the occupational divisions
;
āśramāṇām
—
of the social divisions
;
ca
—
also
;
janma
—
of birth
;
bhūmi
—
the situation
;
anusāriṇīḥ
—
according to
;
āsan
—
appeared
;
prakṛtayaḥ
—
the natures
;
nṝṇām
—
of human beings
;
nīcaiḥ
—
by inferior background
;
nīca
—
inferior nature
;
uttama
—
by superior background
;
uttamāḥ
—
superior natures .
Translation
The various occupational and social divisions of human society appeared according to inferior and superior natures manifest in the situation of the individual’s birth.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
According to the place of birth on the universal form, the various occupational and social divisions of human society appeared with inferior and superior natures.
The natures, low or high, appeared according to low or high place of birth on the body of the universal form. Thus the face and head, being the highest place on the body, produced the highest natures of brāhmaṇas and sannyāsīs. Since the feet and loins are the lowest portion of the body, they produced natures of śūdras and gṛhāsthas.
Purport
According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, the
brāhmaṇas
and
sannyāsīs,
being situated on the head of the universal form of the Lord, are considered to be the most qualified, whereas the
śūdras
and
gṛhasthas,
being on the legs or loins of the Personality of Godhead, are considered to be in the lowest position. A living entity is born with a certain amount of intelligence, beauty and social opportunity, and he is therefore situated in a particular occupational and social position within the
varṇāśrama
system. Ultimately, such positions are external designations, but since the majority of human beings are conditioned by the external energy of the Lord, they should act according to the scientific
varṇāśrama
divisions until they reach the stage of
jīvan-mukta,
or liberated life.