Verse 18.41
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप | कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः ||४१||
Transliteration (IAST)
brāhmaṇa-kṣatriya-viśāṁ śūdrāṇāṁ ca parantapa | karmāṇi pravibhaktāni svabhāva-prabhavair guṇaiḥ ||41||
Word-by-Word Meanings
brāhmaṇa-of the priestly class
kṣatriya-of the warrior class
viśām-of the merchant class
śūdrāṇām-of the laboring class
karmāṇi-duties/actions
pravibhaktāni-are divided
svabhāva-prabhavaiḥ-born of their own nature
guṇaiḥ-by the qualities (gunas)
Translation
The duties of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras are distributed according to the qualities born of their own nature, O Parantapa.
Commentary
Krishna begins describing the natural division of duties based on one's inherent qualities (svabhava). Shankaracharya explains that this is not arbitrary social classification but a recognition of innate tendencies arising from the three gunas. Ramanuja emphasizes that these duties are determined by one's predominant nature, not by birth alone.
Themes
dharmakarmaduty