SB 1.2.13

अतः पुम्भिर्द्विजश्रेष्ठा वर्णाश्रमविभागशः ।
स्वनुष्ठितस्य धर्मस्य संसिद्धिर्हरितोषणम् ॥१३॥

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ
svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

ataḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigataḥ

after this; and from him (Rādhika); as such; besides this; beyond this; for this reason; from him; from that (lotus); from this; hence; here; hereafter; in this way; now; obtain; so; than Him (Vāsudeva); than the initiated brāhmaṇa; than this; then; thereafter (from Campa); thereafter; therefore (because Kṛṣṇa's name, form, quality are all on the absolute platform); therefore (due to the rareness of seeing pure devotees of the Lord); therefore; this; thus; to the brāhmaṇas.—so; pumbhiḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpumbhiḥ

by men; by persons; by the general public; by the human being; by the living entities.—by the human being; dvijaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdvija

brāhmaṇa; brāhmaṇas; birds; O brāhmaṇa (Śaunaka); O brāhmaṇa; O twice-born; of birds; of the brāhmaṇas; of the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas; of the brahminical culture or the brāhmaṇas; of the twice-born; teeth; the brāhmaṇa; the brāhmaṇas; the birds; the twice-born; the twice-born birds; twice-born.-śreṣṭhāḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsresthah

respectable leader; seniormost; the best; the best man; the best of all kings; the most powerful (the thunderbolt); you are the best.—O best among the twice-born; varṇaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvarṇa

bodily complexion; caste; castes; color; colored; complexion; of varṇas; of color; of the letters; syllables.-āśramaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigāśrama

hermitages of saintly persons; in the residential places of hermits; of āśramas; of the place of meditation; of the spiritual orders of life; orders of life; orders of society; social orders; that place of Cyavana Muni.—the institution of four castes and four orders of life; vibhāgaśaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvibhāgaśaḥ

according to; as they are divided; by divisions; by divisions of subject matter; by the division of; in divisions; in terms of division; separately.—by the division of; svanuṣṭhitasyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsvanuṣṭhitasya

of one's own prescribed duties.—of one’s own prescribed duties; dharmasyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdharmasya

occupational; occupational engagement; of all principles of religion; of Dharma (the controller of religious principles); of Dharma; of religion; of religiosity; of religious principles; of religious principles, or of Yamarāja; of the constitutional position; of the demigod in charge of religion; of the execution of duties; of the personification of all religion; of the principles of religion; of the religious principles; of this occupation; of this process of religion.—occupational; saṁsiddhiḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsaṁsiddhiḥ

the highest perfection.—the highest perfection; hariplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bighari

chant the holy name of the Lord.—the Personality of Godhead; toṣaṇamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtoṣaṇam

pleasing; satisfaction.—pleasing. ¶

O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed for one’s own occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead. ¶

Human society all over the world is divided into four castes and four orders of life. The four castes are the intelligent caste, the martial caste, the productive caste and the laborer caste. These castes are classified in terms of one’s work and qualification and not by birth. Then again there are four orders of life, namely the student life, the householder’s life, the retired and the devotional life. In the best interest of human society there must be such divisions of life, otherwise no social institution can grow in a healthy state. And in each and every one of the abovementioned divisions of life, the aim must be to please the supreme authority of the Personality of Godhead. This institutional function of human society is known as the system of varṇāśrama-dharma, which is quite natural for the civilized life. The varṇāśrama institution is constructed to enable one to realize the Absolute Truth. It is not for artificial domination of one division over another. When the aim of life, i.e., realization of the Absolute Truth, is missed by too much attachment for indriya-prīti, or sense gratification, as already discussed hereinbefore, the institution of the varṇāśrama is utilized by selfish men to pose an artificial predominance over the weaker section. In the Kali-yuga, or in the age of quarrel, this artificial predominance is already current, but the saner section of the people know it well that the divisions of castes and orders of life are meant for smooth social intercourse and high-thinking self-realization and not for any other purpose. ¶

Herein the statement of Bhāgavatam is that the highest aim of life or the highest perfection of the institution of the varṇāśrama-dharma is to cooperate jointly for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (Bg. 4.13)plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 4.13

According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.. ¶