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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.12.43
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TEXT 43
- vaikhānasā vālakhilyau-
- dumbarāḥ phenapā vane
- nyāse kuṭīcakaḥ pūrvaṁ
- bahvodo haṁsa-niṣkriyau
vaikhānasāḥthe section of men who retire from active life and live on half-boiled meals — the section of men who retire from active life and live on half-boiled meals; vālakhilyaone who quits his former stock of grains on receipt of more — one who quits his former stock of grains on receipt of more; audumbarāḥone who lives on what he gets from the direction towards which he starts after rising from bed — one who lives on what he gets from the direction towards which he starts after rising from bed; phenapāḥone who lives on the fruits which automatically fall from the tree — one who lives on the fruits which automatically fall from the tree; vanein the forest — in the forest; nyāsein the order of renunciation — in the order of renunciation; kuṭīcakaḥlife in the family without attachment — life in the family without attachment; pūrvamin the beginning — in the beginning; bahvodaḥgiving up all material activities and engaging fully in transcendental service — giving up all material activities and engaging fully in transcendental service; haṁsafully engaged in transcendental knowledge — fully engaged in transcendental knowledge; niṣkriyaustopping all kinds of activities — stopping all kinds of activities.
The four divisions of retired life are the vaikhānasas, vālakhilyas, audumbaras and phenapas. The four divisions of the renounced order of life are the kuṭīcakas, bahvodas, haṁsas and niṣkriyas. All these were manifested from Brahmā.
The varṇāśrama-dharma, or the institution of the four divisions and orders of social and spiritual life, is not a new invention of the modern age, as proposed by the less intelligent. It is an institution established by Brahmā from the beginning of the creation. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (BG 4.13, Not yet available in the library. Try the live source.): cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam.