Speaker: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप ।
कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः ॥४१॥
brāhmaṇa-kṣatriya-viśāṁ
śūdrāṇāṁ ca parantapa
karmāṇi pravibhaktāni
svabhāva-prabhavair guṇaiḥ
Word for word (synonyms)
- brāhmaṇa
- the *brāhmaṇas*
- kṣatriya
- the *kṣatriyas*
- viśām
- the *vaiśyas*
- śūdrāṇām
- the *śūdras*
- ca
- and
- parantapa
- O subduer of the enemies
- karmāṇi
- activities
- pravibhaktāni
- are divided
- svabhāva
- own nature
- prabhavaiḥ
- born of
- guṇaiḥ
- by the modes of material nature
Translation
Brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras are distinguished by their qualities of work, O chastiser of the enemy, in accordance with the modes of nature.
Defined in the Gītā
Brāhmaṇa
What are the qualities of a brāhmaṇa?
Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness—these are the qualities by which the brāhmaṇas work.
The three modes
Who has transcended the three modes of nature?
The Blessed Lord said: He who does not hate illumination, attachment and delusion when they are present, nor longs for them when they disappear; who is seated like one unconcerned, being situated beyond these material reactions of the modes of nature, who remains firm, knowing that the modes alone are active; who regards alike pleasure and pain, and looks on a clod, a stone and a piece of gold with an equal eye; who is wise and holds praise and blame to be the same; who is unchanged in honor and dishonor, who treats friend and foe alike, who has abandoned all fruitive undertakings—such a man is said to have transcended the modes of nature.
What this verse teaches
The four social orders (varṇas) and their qualities
Śrīla Prabhupāda lectures 1
- Bhagavad-gītā 18.41 1973-09-07
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.