Text 14] The Activities of Maharaja Priyavrata 27

this, however, because some say that since one receives a body according
to the guna and karma of his past life, it is one’s birth that determines
his social status. Others say, however, that one’s birth according to the
guna and karma of his past life is not the essential consideration, since
one can change his guna and karma even in this life. Thus they say that
the four divisions of the social order— brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and
sidra— should be arranged according to the guna and karma of this life.
This version is confirmed in Srimad-Bhdgavatam by Narada Muni.
While instructing Maharaja Yudhisthira about the symptoms of guna
and karma, Narada Muni said that these symptoms must govern the divi-
sion of society. In other words, if a person born in the family of a
brahmana has the symptoms of a Sidra, he should be designated as a
Sidra. Similarly, if a Sidra has brahminical qualities, he should be desig-
nated a brahmana.

The varndsrama system is scientific. Therefore if we accept the divi-
sions of varna and dsrama according to the Vedic instructions, our lives
will be successful. Unless human society is thus divided and arranged, it
cannot be perfect. As stated in the Visnu Purdna (3.8.9):

varnasramacaravata
purusena parah puman

visnur dradhyate pantha
nanyat tat-tosa-karanam

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, is worshiped by the
proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of varna and asrama.
There is no other way to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
One must be situated in the institution of the four varnas and asramas.”’
All of human society is meant to worship Lord Visnu. At the present
moment, however, human society does not know that this is the ultimate
goal or perfection of life. Therefore instead of worshiping Lord Visnu.
people have been educated to worship matter. According to the direction
of modern society, men think they can advance in civilization by
manipulating matter to build skyscrapers, big roads, automobiles and so
on. Such a civilization must certainly be called materialistic because its
people do not know the goal of life. The goal of life is to reach Visnu. but
