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The Duties of the Brahmacharin and the Householder
The natural characteristics or tendencies of the different castes and orders of life among men were according to the place of their origin; those born of the lower members had inferior tendencies and those born of the higher had superior characteristics or tendencies. Control of the mind and the senses, meditation, cleanliness, contentment, patience, forbearance, straightforwardness, devotion to Me, compassion and truthfulness - these are the characteristics of the Brahmana.
Majesty, strength, fortitude, heroism, endurance, liberality, exertion, firmness, devotion to the Brahmana and ruling power, honesty, these are the characteristics of a Kshatriya. Faith, a strong disposition to give, absence of hypocrisy, service to the Brahmins, to be ever on the look out for amassing wealth - these are the characteristics of the Vaisya.
Service to the twice-born, to the cows, to the gods, to be contended with what he gets therefrom - these are the characteristics of the Sudra.
Uncleanliness, falsehood, theft, lack of faith, atheism, quarrelsomeness without cause, lust, anger,greed - these are the characteristics of a fifth class who are beyond the pale of the four castes.
Harmlessness, truthfulness, freedom from theft, lust, anger, covetousness and an effort to do what is agreeable and beneficial to all beings - this is the course of Dharma or common duty of all castes.
Having had the regular course of purificatory rites and the second birth of initiation known as the sacred thread ceremony, a Dvija or twice-born should dwell in the house of his preceptor with control over his senses, and study the Vedas when called upon to do so by him.
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