Text 55]
Conversation Between Manu and Kardama
855
civilization on the basis of the four  varṇas  and  āśramas  deteriorated because of her dependency on foreigners, or those who did not follow the civilization of  varṇāśrama . Thus the  varṇāśrama  system has now been degraded into the caste system.
The institution of four  varṇas  and four  āśramas  is confirmed herewith to be  bhagavad-racita , which means designed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In  Bhagavad-gītā  this is also confirmed:  cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam . The Lord says that the institution of four  varṇas  and four  āśramas  “is created by Me.” Anything created by the Lord cannot be closed or covered. The divisions of  varṇas  and  āśramas  will continue to exist, either in their original form or in degraded form, but because they are created by the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they cannot be extinguished. They are like the sun, a creation of God, and therefore will remain. Either covered by clouds or in a clear sky, the sun will continue to exist. Similarly, when the  varṇāśrama  system becomes degraded, it appears as a hereditary caste system, but in every society there is an intelligent class of men, a martial class, a mercantile class and a laborer class. When they are regulated for cooperation among communities according to the Vedic principles, then there is peace and spiritual advancement. But when there is hatred and malpractice and mutual mistrust in the caste system, the whole system becomes degraded, and, as stated herein, it creates a deplorable state. At the present moment, the entire world is in this deplorable condition because of giving rights to so many interests. This is due to the degradation of the four castes of  varṇas  and  āśramas .
TEXT 55
अधर्मश्च समेधेत लोलुपैर्व्यङ्कुशैर्नृभिः । शयाने त्वयि लोकोऽयं दस्युग्रस्तो विनङ्गयति ॥५५॥
adharmaś ca samedheta lolupair vyankuśair nṛbhiḥ śayāne tvayi loko 'yaṁ dasyu-grasto vinankṣyati
adharmaḥ—unrighteousness; ca—and; samedheta—would flourish; lolupaiḥ—simply hankering after money; vyankuśaiḥ—uncontrolled; nṛbhiḥ—by men; śayāne tvayi—when you lie down for rest; lokaḥ—world; ayam—this; dasyu—by the miscreants; grastaḥ—attacked; vinankṣyati—it will perish.