Text 21
ahiṁsā satyam asteyam
akāma-krodha-lobhatā
bhūta-priya-hitehā ca
dharmo ’yaṁ sārva-varṇikaḥ
ahiṁsā — nonviolence; satyam — truthfulness; asteyam — honesty; a-kāma-krodha-lobhatā — being free from lust, anger and greed; bhūta — of all living entities; priya — the happiness; hita — and welfare; īhā — desiring; ca — also; dharmaḥ — duty; ayam — this; sārva-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 sārva-varṇika indicates that the above-mentioned principles constitute general piety, which should be observed by all members of society, even those outside the varṇāśrama system. We practically find that even in societies that have fallen away from the varṇāśrama 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.