ahiá¹sÄ satyam asteyam
akÄma-krodha-lobhatÄ
bhÅ«ta-priya-hitehÄ ca
dharmo 'yaá¹ sÄrva-varṇikaḥ
ahiá¹sÄ - nonviolence; satyam - truthfulness; asteyam - honesty; a-kÄma-krodha-lobhatÄ - being free from lust, anger and greed; bhÅ«ta - of all living entities; priya - the happiness; hita - and welfare; Ä«hÄ - desiring; ca - also; dharmaḥ - duty; ayam - this; sÄrva-varṇikaḥ - for all members of society.
Nonviolence, truthfulness, honesty, desire for the happiness and welfare of all others and freedom from lust, anger and greed constitute duties for all members of society.
The word sÄrva-varṇika indicates that the above-mentioned principles constitute general piety, which should be observed by all members of society, even those outside the varṇÄÅ›rama system. We practically find that even in societies that have fallen away from the varṇÄÅ›rama system, the above-mentioned principles are honored and encouraged. Such principles do not constitute a specific path of liberation but are perennial virtues in human society.
