Modaka - a confectioner

thä lika - plate maker

tambü likå t - preparer of betel leaves

gopa - a milker of cows (distinct from the vaiç ya, who owns the cows)

nä pita - a barber

All are counted in the ç ü dra category, but the gopas and nä pitas are the true ç ü dras.

The vaiç ya, performing duties such as farming, commerce, and cow protection, and avoiding such fruitive actions which cause one to enjoy or suffer in heaven or hell, and serving only the brä hmanas and kñ atriyas, is superior to a ç ü dra serving the higher classes.

Superior to such a vaiç ya is a kñ atriya, who in his occupation serves the brä hmaë as of great devotion and faith, and with determination protects all living entities by his heroic qualities. Superior to such a kñ atriya is a brä hmaë a who has destroyed the karma causing material bondage and suffering in hellish conditions, who has the eight or twelve qualities as described in Ç ré mad Bhä gavatam, and who chants only the Brahmä -Gä yatré and avoids all rituals aiming at material enjoyment. The twelve qualities are stated in Mahä bhä rata by Sanat Sujata:

dharmaç ca satyaà ca damaç tapas ca

hy amä tsaryaà hré s titikñ ä nasü ya

yajï aç ca dä naà ca dhå tiù ç rutaà ca

vratä ë i vai dvä daç a brä hmaë asya

“Religiosity, truthfulness, sense-control, austerity, nonenvy, modesty, tolerance, freedom from fault-finding, sacrifice, charity, steadiness and knowledge are the twelve qualities of a brä hmaë a.”

'Vai' means certainly. These are the twelve qualities of brä hmaë as who are purified by chanting Gä yatré mantra. 'Dharma' means to be steady in proper behaviour, avoiding nonreligious action. 'Satyam' means always being truthful, even till the end of life. 'Dama' means sense control. 'Tapa' means to be steady in daily austerity, not giving trouble to the body for fruitive results. 'Hré ' means always being modest because of great civility, out of fear of social dishonour and falling to a low position. 'Amä tsarya' means free from jealousy, free from showing one's household opulence to put down others. A person should be enthusiastic to see other’s advancement. 'Titikñ a' means to be tolerant of abusive speech, insult, defeat, disregard, disrespect and other bodily troubles. 'Anasü yä ' means not finding any fault in others. 'Yajï a' means non-fruitive sacrifices, but the yajï a of chanting Gä yatré mantra hundreds and thousands of times. 'Dä naà ' refers to those charitable activities like distributing water, food, clothes to all whether invited or uninvited guests, relatives and others who are within or outside of the varë ä ç rama system, with devotion and according to ones ability. There is no saì kalpa (vow) or desire to enjoy the fruit of such distribution. 'Dhå ti' means firmness and satisfaction of mind without disturbance from the turbulence of the material world. 'Ç ruta' means having natural attraction for studying, teaching and hearing the Vedas in the mode of goodness.

The qualties of brä hmaë as are also described in Ç ré mad-Bhä gavatam 5.5.28, 7.7.9, and 7.11.21. In Nä rada Paï carä tra 1.2.42 it says that the svadharma of the brä hmaì as is to serve Kå ñ ë a and to eat His naivedya (an offering of bhoga to the Deity) and to drink His pä daka water daily.

Superior to such a brä hmaë a is a brahmacä ri who practises all the brä hmië ical qualities faithfully throughout his life, and practises all the rules of brahmacä rya or penance as mentioned in the Ç ruti, Små ti, and Purä ë as. Superior to such a brahmacä ri is a gå hastha, a householder who has the same brä hminical qualities and offers service to guests, who come by their own will without any invitation, with food and water, and satisfies them according to his ability. The vanaprastha, who has renounced his gå hastha-ä ç rama and stays in the forest with his wife, following strictly all rules of brä hmië ical qualities, is superior to such a householder. And the sannyä sé or an ascetic who practices all the rules and regulations as prescribed in the Vedas, Purä ë as, Upa-Purä ë as, and Mahä bhä rata is superior to such a vanaprastha.

(This last section shows that the sannyä sé, the topmost person in the varë ä ç rama system, gives up all fruitive actions -worship of devatä s and pitå s completely. He is a model for all others to follow.)

In Bhagavad-Gé tä 18.2, Lord Kå ñ ë a speaks about sannyä sa to Arjuna:

kä myä nä à karmaë ä à nyä saà

sannyä saà kavayo viduù

sarva-karma-phala-tyä gaà

prä hus tyä gaà vicakñ aë ä ù

“Giving up of activities that are based on material desire is what great learned men call the renounced order of life (sannyä sa). And giving up the result of all activities is what the wise call renunciation (tyä ga).”

Giving up of kä mya karmas is known by the learned men as sannyä sa, and giving up the result of activity is called tyä ga or renunciation by the wise men. There is a deep import in the words of the Lord. One may ask whether one may perform all the nitya and naimittika activities if only kä mya karmas are rejected. If that were so, then what is the question of sannyä sa? The Ç ruti says “oà tad vä n vai karmakå t, sannyä so naigamaà karma ca, anyä sä t karmé, (nyä sat) sannyä saù he hé ti.” One who does not give up Vedic performance is a karmé, and one who gives it up is a sannyä sé. The word 'hi' means certainly, 'naigama' means activities prescribed in the Vedas. In this world the performer of such activities is certainly called a karmé. Being talented in all such activities he is called karmaö ha or active. Therefore not performing such activities gives rise to sannyä sa, and one who performs the duty of sannyä sa is called sannyä sé.

The meaning of sannyä sa is mentioned in Uttara Gitä:

nityaà naimittikaà kä myaà