246 Teachings of Lord Chaitanya

before the Lord. Before Ramananda Roy could ask the Lord anything about
advancement of spiritual knowledge, the Lord Himself inquired, “Please
quote some verses from Scripture about the ultimate goal of life for the human
being.”

Sri Ramananda Roy at once replied to the Lord that, “A person who is
sincere in his occupational duty will gradually develop the sense of God con-
sciousness.” In this connection he quoted a verse from the Vishnu Purana,
in which it is stated that the Supreme Lord is worshipped by following the
principles of one’s occupational duty, and there is no other alternative for
satisfying the Supreme Lord from the formalities of performing one’s occupa-
tional duties. The purport is that human life is meant for understanding one’s
relationship with the Supreme Lord and acting in that way. Any human being
can dovetail himself with the service of the Lord by discharging his prescribed
duties or occupational performances.

For this purpose, human society may be divided into four classes: namely,
the intelligent class, or the Brahmins, the administrative class, or the Kshatriyas,
the merchantile, or productive class, called Vaishyas, and the laborer class
or the helping class, the Sudras. For each division of human society there are
prescribed rules and regulations and occupational functions. The prescribed
duties of the four classes or four divisions of human society are very nicely
described in the Bhagavad Gita, Eighteenth Chapter, 42-44 verses. An organ-
ized, civilized society of humanity should follow such prescribed rules and
regulations for particular divisions. At the same time, for spiritual advance-
ment, they must follow the four stages of Ashrama: namely, the student life,
which is called Brahmachary life; then householder’s life, then retired life, and
then renounced life.

Ramananda Roy stated that persons who are strictly following the rules
and regulations of these eight divisions of human society are the best, and they
are actually satisfying the Supreme Lord. One who does not follow the princi-
ples of the social division and the rules of spiritual advancement is certainly
spoiling his human form of life and gliding down towards hell. One can
peacefully execute the goal of his human life simply by following the rules
and regulations which apply to himself. The character of a particular person
becomes developed by following the principles of regulation according to
his birth and association and education. The divisions of society are so designed
that many persons of different characteristics can be regulated under them,
for the peaceful administration of social life and spiritual advancement. The
social divisions of human society may be divided as follows: 1. One who has
