Sanskriet

ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप ।

कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः ॥

18.41

Transliteratie

brāhmaṇakṣatriyaviśāṃ śūdrāṇāṃ ca parantapa |

karmāṇi pravibhaktāni svabhāvaprabhavairguṇaiḥ ||

Door Sanskrit System · Machineconcept · @indic-transliteration/sanscript 1.3.3

Vertaling

Of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas, as also of Sudras, O Arjuna, the duties are distributed according to the alities born of their own nature.

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Door Sanskrit System · Machineconcept · claude-opus-5-5 · 2026-11-08

Uitleg

Krishna turns to the social order. The duties of brahmins, kshatriyas, vaishyas and shudras, the four classes (varṇa) of the society of his time, are divided according to qualities arising from each person's inborn nature (svabhāva). The verse grounds social roles in inner qualities rather than in privilege. Readers have long debated whether this means a fixed order by birth or a fit between temperament and work. The passage that follows describes each class through its characteristic virtues and tasks.

Door Sanskrit System · Machineconcept · claude-opus-5-5 · 2026-11-08