Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 13 (BG 4.13) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

For over a century, this verse has been grossly misused and transformed into a matter of controversy. The word "varna" means colour. In the yoga philosophy, the three qualities of nature—sattva, rajas, and tamas—are indicated by three colours. As has been explained before, these three qualities represent the various types of temperaments in human beings. Sattva, rajas, and tamas are respectively indicated by white, red, and black colours. A human being is shaped according to the thoughts that arise in their mind. Even when two persons have some similarity in their thoughts, subtle differences can be observed in their temperaments. Based on these differences in temperament, from a spiritual perspective, human beings are classified into four categories for the purpose of study—this is what is called varna. Just as in a large city or kingdom, people are classified from a professional standpoint as physicians, lawyers, professors, merchants, politicians, cart-drivers, and so forth, similarly in ancient times, human beings were classified based on the differences in their thoughts. For a kingdom, a physician and a cart-driver are as important as a lawyer and an engineer. In the same way, for a healthy social life, these four varnas or castes should remain mutually cooperative rather than competitive with one another. Since one varna complements another, there should be no question of rivalry born of hatred among them. Subsequently, in India, during the medieval period, due to the greed for power, communal sentiments began to emerge, which have today assumed an extremely ugly and terrible form. During that period, taking advantage of the ignorance of common people in scriptural matters, semi-scholars began to display their knowledge by quoting certain portions of the scriptures without any context. During the period of Hindu decline, the Brahmin class found the first half of the first line of this verse extremely favourable and began to repeat it: "I have created the fourfold order." By giving examples of this, attempts were made to prove the present unfortunate division of society as divinely ordained. Those who made such attempts should be understood as opponents of Hindu dharma. Veda Vyasa himself, in the very first line of this verse, provided the basis for such classification, stating: "By the division of qualities and actions is the fourfold order created." This complete definition of the word varna not only removes our present contrary understanding but also helps us comprehend it in its true form. No one is born a Brahmin. Brahminhood can be attained only through noble intentions and elevated thoughts. We cannot claim to be a Brahmin merely by applying tilak and sandalwood paste on the body or by merely observing certain religious rituals. According to the definition, their thoughts and actions must necessarily be sattvic in nature. A person whose thoughts and actions are dominated by rajas is called a Kshatriya. One whose thoughts are not merely tamasic but who lives at an extremely low level of existence, living only for bodily pleasures, should be understood as a Shudra. This classification based on qualities and actions demonstrates the scientific nature of this definition. Inert nature, or maya, is endowed with three qualities: sattva (knowledge), rajas (action), and tamas (inertia). Only when the conscious Self, which is the nature of consciousness, manifests in this does creation arise, and knowledge and action become possible. Without it, worldly functioning would not be possible. Identifying himself with this conscious nature, Sri Krishna says that he is the creator of the fourfold order and such things, because without him there would be no existence to the world and no action would be possible. Just as the ocean is the creator of waves, ripples, and foam, or just as gold is the creator of all ornaments, so too should the Lord's creatorship be understood. In this very verse, the Lord calls himself the creator, but in the very next moment he says that in reality he is the non-doer. The reason is that infinite, all-pervading conscious Self cannot perform any action. Only that which is limited by space and time can perform action. From the perspective of the nature of the Self, the Lord is indeed the non-doer. Students unfamiliar with the method of studying the scriptures find these apparently contradictory statements of Vedanta confusing. Yet in our daily conversation, we also speak in such a manner and still understand the meaning. For instance, we say, "Sitting in the car, I reached my destination." Now it is clear that by sitting, I could never reach another place; yet no one scrutinizes our statement further. In such statements, the motion of the car is attributed to the seated traveller. From their own perspective, they sit still, but from the perspective of the vehicle, they appear to be moving. Similarly, the origin of different temperaments is the function of mind and intellect; yet we attribute it to the conscious Self and call it the doer. However, from its own nature, the all-pervading, unchanging Self is indeed the non-doer. In truth, I am the non-doer, therefore...