Text 13] Yamaraja Instructs His Messengers 155
escape punishment by Yamaraja. The point is that every human being is
expected to elevate himself to the position of a brahmana, the most intel-
ligent man, and then one must transcend that position to become a
Vaisnava. This is the perfection of life. The brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya
and Sidra can elevate themselves by worshiping the Lord according to
their activities (sve sve karmany abhiratah samsiddhim labhate narah).
The divisions of varna and dsrama are necessary to insure the proper
execution of duties and peaceful existence for everyone, but everyone is
directed to worship the Supreme Lord, who is all-pervading (yena sar-
vam idam tatam). The Supreme Lord exists vertically and horizontally
(otarh protam), and therefore if one follows the Vedic injunctions by
worshiping the Supreme Lord according to one’s ability, his life will be
perfect. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.13):
atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varndsrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam

“O best among the twiceborn, it is therefore concluded that the highest
perfection one can achieve, by discharging his prescribed duties
[dharma] according to caste divisions and orders of life, is to please the
Lord Hari.” The varndsrama institution offers the perfect process for
making one eligible to return home, back to Godhead, because the aim of
every varna and dsrama is to please the Supreme Lord. One can please
the Lord under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master, and if one
does so his life is perfect. The Supreme Lord is worshipable, and every-
one worships Him directly or indirectly. Those who worship Him directly
get the results of liberation quickly, whereas the liberation of those who
serve Him indirectly is delayed.

The words namabhir vaci are very important. In the varndasrama in-
stitution, there are different names —brdhmana, ksatriya, vaisya, Sidra,
brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannydsi. The vak, or Vedic in-
junctions, give directions for all these divisions. Everyone is expected to
offer obeisances to the Supreme Lord and perform duties as indicated in
the Vedas.
