Why should we follow dharma shastras?what is varna ashrama dharma?
Dharma shastras (smrithis) are commands of Bhagawan,The Almighty.One who needs eternal bliss should follow these rules to purify their mind which will please the Lord to shower blessings to get Moksha!
Varna is classified based on one's birth by Bhagwan as said in the scriptures.
VARNA:(4)
- BRAHMANA (Teachers)
- KSHATRIYA (Warriors)
- VAISHYA (Traders)
- SHUDRA(Labourers)
1.BRAHMACHARYA(Studentship)
2.GRUHASTHA(House-holder)
3.VANAPRASTHA(Ascetic)
4.SANYASA(Monk)
Let us see some of the important rules as prescribed in the smrithis(dharma sastras).For the sanskrit verse see the link provided in the left-side.
Note:These are not the opinion of the blog owner.Rules are said as mentioned by the maharishis in their smrithis, which are the commandments of Lord.
For Brahmins:
1. Must have a shika(tuft),i.e.having hair in the mid-part & shaving all the other four sides of the head.
2. Must do sandhyavandhanam daily thrice.(during sun-rise,noon & sunset).
3. Must not cross the seas i.e.go abroad .
5. Must not eat the food cooked by other castes or impure brahmins to maintain their purity.
6. Must not eat the food which was prepared in hotels.
7. Must not eat during astami,amaavasya&Sunday nights.
8. Must fast completely during the ekadasi days.
9. Must not eat onion,garlic,drumstick,raddish,egg etc
10. Must not self-shave & shave frequently.
11. Must not shave during Sunday ,Tuesday ,Saturday, amavasya,poornima,ashtami ,ekadasi,pratama& chaturdasi .
12. Must not have moustache & british hair style(crop style).
13. Must not eat the food prepared by brahmins & women during days of pollution like pollution caused by birth & death.
14. Must not smoke or drink.
15. Must use only ground water for cooking and drinking purposes.
16. Must always have a traditional mark on his forehead.
17. Must not eat food that are made in ever-silver utensils.
18. Must recite the vedas daily to the extent possible.
19. Must perform aupasanam,agnihotram,vaishvadevam,brahmayagya daily before eating.
20. Must perform other paaka,havir&soma yagyas(totally 21) .
21. Must do marriage to their daughters within the age of 12 to get rid great sins as said in the sastras.
22. Must always wear panchakaccham.(traditional ethnic dressing)
23. Must reside in a place where dharma sastras can be followed i.e.along river-sides,villages etc.
26. Must not work under other castes as employees.
27. Must make livelihood only from teaching,doing spiritual rites in yagyas & accepting dhana(gifts) from the king & other people. During emergency cases he can do agriculture ,business & finance.
28. Must not earn money from illegal ways,by telling lies & especially by being a doctor,singer,astrologer, artist etc.,
For ladies:
1. Must wear traditional dress always & assist their husband in the dharmic acts.
2. Must cook only with firewoods or charcoal so that Daily Vaishvadeva Homa can bre done.
3. Must not wear fashion dresses.
4. Must not sport bindi stickers on forehead.
5. Must put Rangoli only with powdered rice for ants.
6. Must clean the house daily
7. Must not use plastic,ever-silver& iron utensils.
8. Must not go for working.
9. Must not go outside the house independently or wander without a valid reason.
After the death of their husband:
1. Must shave their head & cover it with their dress.
2. Must not wear kumkumum,gold,diamonds,flowers&cosmetics .
3. Must not decorate themselves.
4. Must be chaste & spend their time only in spiritual activities.
5. Must wear only ochre coloured saree.
For Kshatriyas:(The rulers)
1. Must govern their subjects as per sastras.
2. Must be well-versed in Dhanda-neethi s said in manu smrithi & other smrithis.Must learn Dhanur-veda(archery etc) from , vedas, sastras& politics from brahmins.
3. Must protect the down trodden,Physically & mentally challenged people,destitutes,orphans& needy people
4. Must collect tax like a bee which does not ruin the flower while sucking the honey.
5. Must respect the Vedic Brahmins and do charities to them for the country’s welfare.
6. Must maintain the social setup.i.e.the Varnaashrama system of the society.
7. Must donate to somayagas for people’s welfare.
8. Must setup many Veda,sastra patasalas,Education Institutions to propogate the Vedas & its teachings.
9. Must equip his army well to FIGHT against the adharmic enemies & countries to save the people.
10. Must give the right justice to the problems as SOON as possible.
11. Must severely punish those who disturb the Brahmins &cows .
12.Must earn a livelihood only by those ways which are prescibed for them.i.e.Do their Kula-Karma (Business done by their ancestors)
& etc.,...........
For Vaishyas: (The business people)
1. Must do business,agriculture&finance.
2. Must protect & multiply the cow’s & other Animal population.
3. Must give charities to the Brahmins & needy.
4. Must perform shradha for forefathers as prescribed.
5. Must setup Annadhana chatras or choultries for the yatris in various spiritual places.
6.Must earn a livelihood only by those ways which are prescibed for them.i.e.Do their Kula-Karma (Business done by their ancestors)
& etc.,.....
For Shudras:(labourers)
1. Must do the labour activities for the other three castes.
2. Must feel blessed & happy to serve brahmins.If not possible under Spiritual Kshatriya or Vaishyas.
3.Must do Pithru shradam with slokas regularly.
4.Must give great respect to Vedic Brahmins & holy Indian cows!
5.If he attacks brahmins & cows with his words or by his organs ,it is said in Dhanda neethi that the ruler should cut off his tongue & the organ which ill-treated Brahmins & cows.
6.Must earn a livelihood only by those ways which are prescibed for them.i.e.Do their Kula-Karma (Business done by their ancestors)
1. Must have a shika(tuft),i.e.having hair in the mid-part & shaving all the other four sides of the head.
2. Must do sandhyavandhanam daily thrice.(during sun-rise,noon & sunset).
3. Must not cross the seas i.e.go abroad .
5. Must not eat the food cooked by other castes or impure brahmins to maintain their purity.
6. Must not eat the food which was prepared in hotels.
7. Must not eat during astami,amaavasya&Sunday nights.
8. Must fast completely during the ekadasi days.
9. Must not eat onion,garlic,drumstick,raddish,egg etc
10. Must not self-shave & shave frequently.
11. Must not shave during Sunday ,Tuesday ,Saturday, amavasya,poornima,ashtami ,ekadasi,pratama& chaturdasi .
12. Must not have moustache & british hair style(crop style).
13. Must not eat the food prepared by brahmins & women during days of pollution like pollution caused by birth & death.
14. Must not smoke or drink.
15. Must use only ground water for cooking and drinking purposes.
16. Must always have a traditional mark on his forehead.
17. Must not eat food that are made in ever-silver utensils.
18. Must recite the vedas daily to the extent possible.
19. Must perform aupasanam,agnihotram,vaishvadevam,brahmayagya daily before eating.
20. Must perform other paaka,havir&soma yagyas(totally 21) .
21. Must do marriage to their daughters within the age of 12 to get rid great sins as said in the sastras.
22. Must always wear panchakaccham.(traditional ethnic dressing)
23. Must reside in a place where dharma sastras can be followed i.e.along river-sides,villages etc.
26. Must not work under other castes as employees.
27. Must make livelihood only from teaching,doing spiritual rites in yagyas & accepting dhana(gifts) from the king & other people. During emergency cases he can do agriculture ,business & finance.
28. Must not earn money from illegal ways,by telling lies & especially by being a doctor,singer,astrologer, artist etc.,
For ladies:
1. Must wear traditional dress always & assist their husband in the dharmic acts.
2. Must cook only with firewoods or charcoal so that Daily Vaishvadeva Homa can bre done.
3. Must not wear fashion dresses.
4. Must not sport bindi stickers on forehead.
5. Must put Rangoli only with powdered rice for ants.
6. Must clean the house daily
7. Must not use plastic,ever-silver& iron utensils.
8. Must not go for working.
9. Must not go outside the house independently or wander without a valid reason.
After the death of their husband:
1. Must shave their head & cover it with their dress.
2. Must not wear kumkumum,gold,diamonds,flowers&cosmetics .
3. Must not decorate themselves.
4. Must be chaste & spend their time only in spiritual activities.
5. Must wear only ochre coloured saree.
For Kshatriyas:(The rulers)
1. Must govern their subjects as per sastras.
2. Must be well-versed in Dhanda-neethi s said in manu smrithi & other smrithis.Must learn Dhanur-veda(archery etc) from , vedas, sastras& politics from brahmins.
3. Must protect the down trodden,Physically & mentally challenged people,destitutes,orphans& needy people
4. Must collect tax like a bee which does not ruin the flower while sucking the honey.
5. Must respect the Vedic Brahmins and do charities to them for the country’s welfare.
6. Must maintain the social setup.i.e.the Varnaashrama system of the society.
7. Must donate to somayagas for people’s welfare.
8. Must setup many Veda,sastra patasalas,Education Institutions to propogate the Vedas & its teachings.
9. Must equip his army well to FIGHT against the adharmic enemies & countries to save the people.
10. Must give the right justice to the problems as SOON as possible.
11. Must severely punish those who disturb the Brahmins &cows .
12.Must earn a livelihood only by those ways which are prescibed for them.i.e.Do their Kula-Karma (Business done by their ancestors)
& etc.,...........
For Vaishyas: (The business people)
1. Must do business,agriculture&finance.
2. Must protect & multiply the cow’s & other Animal population.
3. Must give charities to the Brahmins & needy.
4. Must perform shradha for forefathers as prescribed.
5. Must setup Annadhana chatras or choultries for the yatris in various spiritual places.
6.Must earn a livelihood only by those ways which are prescibed for them.i.e.Do their Kula-Karma (Business done by their ancestors)
& etc.,.....
For Shudras:(labourers)
1. Must do the labour activities for the other three castes.
2. Must feel blessed & happy to serve brahmins.If not possible under Spiritual Kshatriya or Vaishyas.
3.Must do Pithru shradam with slokas regularly.
4.Must give great respect to Vedic Brahmins & holy Indian cows!
5.If he attacks brahmins & cows with his words or by his organs ,it is said in Dhanda neethi that the ruler should cut off his tongue & the organ which ill-treated Brahmins & cows.
6.Must earn a livelihood only by those ways which are prescibed for them.i.e.Do their Kula-Karma (Business done by their ancestors)
AND MANY MORE dharmas for all the 4 varnas........
Common dharmas:
3. Must always wear oordhva or tripundra pundra i.e.thiruman or vibhuti.
4. Must do shradda(thithi)for their ancestors sincerely.
5. Must donate to their capablity to needy people DAILY.
6. Must speak only truth.
7. Must follow the sastric way of life in residence,food & dress.
8. Must not supress,torture & treat women as a slave.
9. Must donate generously to the brahmins for the world’s welfare.
10. Women must be educated and given full rights.
11. Everybody must respect each other.Especially the brahmins & kings.
12. Must save &protect especially our traditional cows(i.e.non-high breed varieties).
13. Must do gavaanikam daily.(i.e. giving green fodder to cows before eating).
14. Must not kill or wound animals and birds.
15. Must not blame & say other’s faults to anyone.
