So dharma is the life of human beings. And there are different types of dharmas. Not that, as some rascals say, that all dharmas are equal. No. According to qualities. There are three qualities, three modes of material nature. So one who is attached to the lowest quality, ignorance, his dharma is different from the person who is in the highest level of goodness. Therefore there are brāhmin's dharma, kṣatriya's dharma, vaiśya's dharma and śūdra's dharma.
So what is śūdra's dharma, that is not brāhmin's dharma, because śūdra cannot execute the dharma of the brāhmiṇ. And the brāhmin also cannot come down to the status of śūdras. These are Vedic principles. Therefore in the Vedic society there are divisions: this class of men are brāhmins, this class of men kṣatriyas, this class of men are vaiśyas. Everything, their quality and their activities, are mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Samo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Śauryaṁ vīryaḥ yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam īśvara-bhāvaś ca (BG 18.43). Just like seven qualities for the kṣatriyas, seven qualities; nine qualities for the brāhmins; three qualities for the vaiśyas; and one quality for the śūdras. But the ultimate goal of life is to attain bhakti-yoga. Therefore in this verse it is said:
- vāsudeve bhagavati
- bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ
- janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ
- jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam
- (SB 1.2.7)
To execute religious principles means gradually elevated to the highest principle of knowledge. The highest principle of knowledge is bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga. Therefore, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the beginning, it has been described what kind of dharma is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There are different types of dharma. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra.
In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the introduction . . . Vyāsadeva is giving you introduction: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra, "All kinds of cheating religious systems are swept away, thrown away, kicked out." Kicked out. Projjhita. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita. Just like we sweep over some room to get out the dust, similarly, dusty, hazy system of religion is completely thrown away. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vāstavaṁ vastu, vāstavaṁ vastu vedyam atra (SB 1.1.2).
This is meant for paramo nirmatsarāṇām, this dharma. Paramo nirmatsarāṇām. Paramo nirmatsara means Vaiṣṇavas. Vaiṣṇava is not envious. They are very merciful. Just like Gosvāmīs: lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau, lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau (Śrī Ṣaḍ Gosvāmy Aṣṭaka 2). This dharma, vaiṣṇava-dharma, rūpānuga-dharma, following the footsteps of Rūpa Gosvāmī, that is meant for paropakāra.