Gita Satsang - Resumption - Ch. 4 Summary (Verse 13)

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Hari Om:

 

Gita Chapter 4, Verse 13.

 

caaturvarnyam mayaa srstam gunakarmavibhaagasah

tasya kartaaram api maam viddhy akartaaram avyayam

 

(The fourfold order was created by Me according to the divisions of

quality and work. Though I am its creator, know Me to be incapable of

action or change.)

 

It is very easy to misinterpret this verse and cause misunderstanding,

confusion and misery because the subject matter is quite sensitive.

We should be aware about the pitfalls and take precautions and avoid

unnecessary and meaningless debates on this subject matter. I find

the translation and commentary of Dr. Radharishnan quite reasonable

and sensible. His interpretation of Gita and Upanishads are scholarly

and he avoids controversies and prejudicial judgements. I have

reproduced his translation and commentary here from his book: The

Bhagavad Gita, S.Radhakrishnan, Harper Collins (Pocket Book) and it is

available in Border Book Stores and it costs $7.00 and I strongly

recommend it to interested readers.

 

His assessment that the fourfold order was created according to the

divisions of quality and work and not by birth is quite accurate.

Those who want to maintain the caste system by birth have quoted and

misinterpreted this verse to justify such practices. It is plausible

that 5000 years back the quality and work were fully synchronized

with birth due to the environment at that time. In later time periods,

the relationship between birth and work (also quality) became weaker

and weaker. Today, birth hardly determines the quality and work. It

should be also pointed out that division by quality and work is not

peculiar to India and it is visible across all nations including in

USA!

 

Dr. Radhakrishnan's commentary (page 160-161)

 

Caaturvanyam (the fourfold order): The emphasis is on guna (aptittude)

and karma (function) and not jaati (birth). The varna or the order to

which we belong is independent of sex, birth or breeding. A class

determined by temperament and vocation is not a caste determined by

birth and heredity. According to Mahabharat, the whole world was

originally of one class but it later became divided into four

divisions on account of the specific duties. Even the distinction

between caste and outcaste is artificial and unspiritual. An ancient

verse points out that the Braamin and the outcaste are blood brothers.

In the Mahabharat, Yudhistrhira says that it is difficulty to find out

the caste of persons on account of the mixture of castes. Men beget

offspring in all sorts of women. So conduct is the only determining

feature of caste according to sages.

 

The fourfold order is designed for human evolution. There is nothing

absolute about the caste system which has changed its character in the

process of history. Today, it cannot be regarded as anything more than

an insistence on a variety of ways in which the social purpose can be

carried out. Functional groupings will never be out of date and as for

marriages they will happen among development. The present morbid

condition of India broken into castes and subcastes is opposed to the

unity taught by the Gita which stands for organic as against an

atomistic conception of society.

 

Akartaaram (nondoer): As the supreme is unattached, He is said to be a

non-doer. Works do not affect His changeless being, though He is the

unseen background of all works.