Bhagavad Gita · Jnana Karma Sannyasa YogaAdhyaay 4, Shloka 13 (4.13)

Shloka ke do bhaag. (1) Chaaturvarnya ki rachna — gun aur karm ke vibhaag se; (2) Bhagavan karta hote hue bhi akarta.

Paramparaagat tikaayen — jaise likhi gayi hain:

• Shankaracharya: chaar varn Ishvara ne rache — Purusha-sukta (brāhmaṇo 'sya mukham āsīt) ke anusaar. Gun-vibhaag: sattva-pradhaan brahmin (shama, dama, tapas aadi karm), sattva-gaun rajas-pradhaan kshatriya (shaurya, tej), tamas-gaun rajas-pradhaan vaishya (krishi aadi), rajas-gaun tamas-pradhaan shoodra (śuśrūṣaiva karma — keval seva). Phir mukhya prashn: kya is srishti-karm se Bhagavan bandhte hain? Uttar: māyā-saṃvyavahāreṇa — maaya ke vyavhaar mein karta hote hue bhi paramārthataḥ akartāram — paramaarth mein akarta.
• Madhusudana Sarasvati: usi prakaar ka gun-varn vibhaag; aur kehte hain ki śarīrārambhaka-guṇa-vaiṣamyād api na sarve samāna-svabhāvāḥ — shareer banaane wale gunon ki asamaanta se sab samaan svabhaav ke nahin hote.
• Madhva: gun-vibhaag usi kram se, aur karm-vibhaag 18.42 se aage batayenge.
• Aacharya Ramanuja: ek vyaapak pathan — cāturvarṇya-pramukhaṃ brahmādi-stamba-paryantaṃ kṛtsnaṃ jagat — chaar varn jiske pramukh udaharan hain, aisa Brahma se lekar ghaas ke tinke tak sampoorn jagat, sattva aadi gunon aur tadanuroop karmon ke vibhaag se maine racha — aur main hi uski raksha aur sanhaar karta hoon. Uska karta hote hue bhi mujhe akarta jaano (kaise — 4.14).

Imaandaar nishkarsh: Shastreeya tikaakaar apne samay ki saamajik vyavastha (jo vyavhaar mein janm se judi thi) ko is shloka se jodte hain, aur shoodra ke liye "seva" ka karm likhte hain. Yeh unka ullekh hai — is pustak ka samarthan nahin.