SLOGAM

Slogam 1
Slogam 2
Slogam 3
Slogam 4
Slogam 5
Slogam 6
Slogam 7
Slogam 8
Slogam 9
Slogam 10
Slogam 11
Slogam 12
Slogam 13
Slogam 14
Slogam 15
Slogam 16
Slogam 17
Slogam 18
Slogam 19
Slogam 20
Slogam 21
Slogam 22
Slogam 23
Slogam 24
Slogam 25
Slogam 26
Slogam 27
Slogam 28
Slogam 29
Slogam 30
Slogam 31
Slogam 32
Slogam 33
Slogam 34
Slogam 35
Slogam 36
Slogam 37
Slogam 38
Slogam 39
Slogam 40
Slogam 41
Slogam 42

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4.13

catur-varn?yam´ maya sr?s?t?am´

gun?a-karma-vibhagasah?

tasya kartaram api mam´

viddhy akartaram avyayam

Translation

According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the nondoer, being unchangeable.

Author Name:-Sri Ramanuja

Purport

Sri Ramanuja

4.13 The whole universe beginning with Brahma and ending with a cluster of grass, with the system of four stations divided according to Sattva and other Gunas and by actions like self-control corresponding to the Gunas, was created by Me. The mention of ‘creation’ is for illustration. The universe is protected by Me alone and is withdrawn by Me alone. Know Me to be the creator of his manifold actions of creation etc., but at the same time to be non-agent. Sri Krsna explains here how this is possible.

Author Name:-Sri Adi Shankaracharya

Purport

Sri Adi Shankaracharya

4.13 Catur-varnyam-meaning the same as catvarah varnah, the four castes; srstam, have been created; maya, by Me who am God, which accords with such Vedic texts as, ‘The Brahmanas were His face…’ (Rg. 10.90.12); guna-karma-vibhagasah, through a classification of the gunas and duties. [A.G. writes: guna-vibhagena karma-vibhagah, classification of the duties, determined by the classification of the gunas.-Tr] By the gunas are meant sattva, rajas and tamas (see note under 2.45; also see Chapter 14). As to that, the control of the mind and body, austerity, etc. are the duties of the Brahmanas, who are sattvika, i.e. have a predominance of the quality of sattva (purity, goodness, etc.). Courage, valour, etc. are the duties of the Ksatriyas, in whom sattva becomes secondary and rajas (passion, attachment, etc.) preponderates. Agriculture etc. are the duties of the Vaisya, in whom tamas (indolence, ignorance, etc.) is secondary and rajas is predominant. Service is the only duty of the Sudra, in whom rajas is secondary and tamas predominates (see chapters 14, 16,17 and 18). In this way, the four castes have been created by Me through a classification of the gunas and duties. This is the idea. And these four castes do not prevail in the other worlds. Hence the specification, ‘in the human world’. ‘Well, in that caste, by virtues of Your being he agent of the acts of creation of the four castes,etc. You become subject tothe consequence of those actions? Therefore you are not eternally free and the eternal Lord!’ This is being answered: Api, even though; I am kartaram, the agent; tasya, of that act, from the empirical standpoint of maya; still, from the highest standpoint, viddhi, know; mam, Me; to be akartaram, a non-agent; and therefore, also know Me to be avyayam, changeless, not subject to the cycle of births and deaths. ‘In reality, however, I am not the agent of those actions of which you think I am the agent.’ Because —

Author Name:-Sri Madhvacharya

Purport

Sri Madhavacharya

Lord Krishna is the origin of the four classifications in Vedic culture as spoken here. Those of sattva guna or the mode of goodness are designated as Brahmins or priestly class. Those of mixed sattva guna and rajas guna or the mode of passion are known as ksatriyas or warrior class. Those mixed with rajas guna and tama guna or the mode of ignorance are the vaisyas or mercantile class and those in tama guna are the sudras or servant class. The actions of Lord always possess shama or tranquillity and dama or self- control in their performance thus even if He appears to do nothing He is the performer and if He appears to be the performer He is the non- performer of His actions. Even though He is the origin of the entire creation He has no desires and remains unattached. Thus it has been perceived that those who perform actions without desires, unattached to rewards have developed an attribute of the Lord.

Now begins the summation.

The four orders descending in purity from sattva guna to rajas guna to tama guna have been described here. Those in sattva guna are the Vaisnava devotees of the supreme Lord Krishna possessing tranquillity and self- control. All others as their sattva decreases are in tama guna in descending order. Thus sattva guna is determined by one’s ability and capacity to be a devotee of Lord Krishna and the further away one is from this the deeper one is covered by tama guna . Thus this is the difference between them and occurs naturally due to their character and disposition. The differences and conditions acquired due to birth should be understood to be merely a designation as devotion to the Supreme Lord Krishna has been seen to arise and manifest in all four orders of existence. Amongst some it is more potent and in others less so and even these differences happen naturally according to an individuals inherent attributes. Although the resplendent Supreme Lord reveals He is kartaram or the origin of all creation He also reveals He is akartaram or not originated from any source. He is independent in Himself and not created from anything. The adjective api used here is to show this special at tribute that there is no creator for Him.

SLOGAM

CATEGORIES

Slogam 13

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4.13

Related to Veda :