Page 63 - Hinduism

śreyas. Again dharma includes not only rules of conduct but also principles of character. The latter are more important and produce better results than the former. The former without the latter are ineffective.
Dharma regulates the conduct of man in all aspects of life—religious, social, political and healthy. It is divided into two categories varṇa-dharma and āśrama-dharma. Our religion has divided the society into four classes or varṇas according to the nature and aptitudes of its members and prescribed dharma for each class. Again it has divided man's life into four stages or asramās and prescribed dharma for each stage. The division of the society into four classes or varṇas is peculiar to our country. For that reason, it need not be declaimed or discouraged. It is based on the principle of social economy. So it is prescribed as one of the duties of the king to maintain the varṇa-dharma and āśrama- dharma. If a king is not able to maintain dharma properly, he is described as an incompetent king. He is given power to punish people who do not follow the dharma of their class and state in society.
It is not possible to mention all the varṇa-dharmas and āśrama-dharmas here but a few important ones will be noticed. It is the duty of the Brahman to study and teach the Veda, to perform sacrifices for himself and for others, and to give and receive gifts.
The first in each pair of duties enumerated above is 63