476
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 3, Ch. 12]
fully engaged in transcendental knowledge;  niṣkriyau —stopping all kinds of activities.
TRANSLATION
The four divisions of retired life are the vaikhānasas, vālakhilyas, auḍumbaras and phenapas. The four divisions of the renounced order of life are the kuṭī-cakas, bahvodas, hanisas and niṣkriyas. All these were manifested from Brahmā.
PURPORT
The  varṇāśrama-dharma , or the institution of the four divisions and orders of social and spiritual life, is not a new invention of the modern age, as proposed by the less intelligent. It is an institution established by Brahmā from the beginning of the creation. This is also confirmed in the  Bhagavad-gītā , in the Fourth Chapter:  cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam  (Bg. 4.13).
TEXT 44
आन्वीक्षिकी त्रयी वार्ता दण्डनीतिस्तथैव च। एवं व्याहृतयश्चासन् प्रणवो ह्यस्य दहतः ॥४४॥
ānvīkṣikī trayī vārtā daṇḍa-nītis tathaiva ca evaṁ vyāhṛtayaś cāsan praṇavo hyasya dahrataḥ
ānvīkṣikī —logic;  trayī —the three goals, namely religion, economy and salvation;  vārtā —sense gratification;  daṇḍa —law and order;  nītiḥ —moral codes;  tathā —as also;  eva ca —respectively;  evaṁ —thus;  vyāhṛtayaḥ —the celebrated hymns  bhūḥ ,  bhuvaḥ , and  svaḥ ;  ca —also;  āsan —came into existence;  praṇavaḥ —the  oṁkāra ;  hi —certainly;  asya —of him (Brahmā);  dahrataḥ —from the heart.
TRANSLATION
The science of logical argument, the Vedic goals of life, law and order, moral codes, and the celebrated hymns  bhūḥ ,  bhuvaḥ  and  svaḥ  all became manifested from the mouths of Brahmā, and the praṇava  oṁkāra  was manifested from his heart.