22
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 7, Ch. 11]
cows, whereas the  śūdras , who by quality never become  brāhmaṇas ,  kṣatriyas  or  vaiśyas , should serve the three higher classes and be satisfied. Other means of livelihood are also prescribed for the  brāhmaṇas , and these are four— śālīna ,  yāyāvara ,  śila , and  uñchana . Each of these occupational duties is successively better.
One who is in a lower grade of social life cannot accept the profession of a higher class unless necessary. In times of emergency, all the classes but the  kṣatriyas  may accept professional duties of others. The means of livelihood known as  ṛta  ( śiloñchana ),  amṛta  ( ayācita ),  mṛta  ( yācñā ),  pramṛta  ( karṣaṇa ), and  satyānṛta  ( vāṇijya ) may be accepted by everyone but the  kṣatriyas . For a  brāhmaṇa  or a  kṣatriya , engaging in the service of the  vaiśyas  or  śūdras  is considered the profession of dogs.
Nārada Muni also described that the symptom of a  brāhmaṇa  is controlled senses, the symptoms of a  kṣatriya  are power and fame, the symptom of a  vaiśya  is service to the  brāhmaṇas  and  kṣatriyas , and the symptom of a  śūdra  is service to the three higher classes. The qualification for a woman is to be a very faithful and chaste wife. In this way, Nārada Muni described the characteristics of higher and lower grades of people and recommended that one follow the principles of his caste or his hereditary occupation. One cannot suddenly give up a profession to which he is accustomed, and therefore it is recommended that one gradually be awakened. The symptoms of  brāhmaṇas ,  kṣatriyas ,  vaiśyas , and  śūdras  are very important, and therefore one should be designated only by these symptoms, and not by birth. Designation by birth is strictly forbidden by Nārada Muni and all great personalities.
TEXT 1
श्रीशुक उवाच
श्रुत्वेहितं साधुसभासभाजितं
महत्तमाग्रण्य उरुक्रमात्मनः ।
युधिष्ठिरो दैत्यपतेर्मुदान्वितः
पप्रच्छ भूयस्तनयं स्वयम्भुवः ॥ १ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca
śrutvehitam sādhu sabhā-sabhājitam
mahattamāgraṇya urukramātmanaḥ