PHRASES IN THE GITA - 31

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PHRASES IN THE GITA - 31

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुण कर्म विभागशः  ... (अध्याय ४ - श्लोक १३)
சாதுர்வர்ண்யம் மயா ஸ்ருஷ்டம் குண கர்ம விபாகஶஹ்  ...  (அத்யாயம் 4 - ஶ்லோகம் 13)
Chatur VarNyam Mayaa Srushtam GuNa Karma Vibhaagashah ... (Chapter 4 - Shlokamn13)

MEANING :  I have created the four Varna (Shades) on the basis of classification of Guna (Attributes) and Karma (Actions).

Chaatur-Varnyam Mayaa Srushtam....Guna-Karma Vibhaagashah..

‘Chatur Varnam or the four types are my creation’, says Shri Krishna..  When everything is His creation, Chatur Varnam, the types in Human society also must be His creation..  But, this statement in the Gita has evoked strong protests, especially by the athiest and ‘anti-God’ organizations and the communists.  That ‘God has created these different types’ is the reason for their protests.  Probably, they feel that the system, being creationb of God, can not be destroyed and they want to demolish it.  In fact, their protest is against the caste system, the system which, according to them, encourages ‘discrimination and exploitation’.  And they equate Caste with Varna.  They feel Varna system is at the root of caste system and is the cause for all the defects in Hindu society.  Hence, they fume and fret when they read this declaration by Shri Krishna.  The believers, on the other hand, under the influence of hurricane of reformist propaganda and lack of study of scriptures, is also confused by this statement.  I have seen many speakers on the Gita getting embarrassed while talking on this shlokam.  Many are seen trying to skip this portion.

There is a difference between ‘Jaati’ or ‘Caste’ and ‘Varna’..  Jaati means birth and Varna is colour or Shade.  Caste system is by virtue of birth and Varna vyavasthaa is based on attitudes.  Shri Krishna says, “Varna differentiation is based on Guna-Karma (attitudes and actions)”.

Are all humans of same attitudes, of same qualities??  No.  Differences on the basis of qualities and attitudes are Natural.  The differences are like the various organs of a human body, different in capabilities, different in needs, different in actions performed.  Different but essentially One.  Problems arise only when tags of superior and inferior are attached to these various organs.

Nature is full of ‘Types’ or ‘differences’.  Only types, not High and Low.  It is human weakness to classify types as ‘High and Low’ ‘Good, better, Best’... Rose is high, cactus is low;  Mango is high and Guava is low;  In skins, fair is high, brown is OK and black is low;  among grains rice is high and maize is low and so on.  How can Nature be held responsible for the ‘Superior and Inferior’ ‘high and low’ tags attached by man to various creations in Nature.??

It may or may not be to our liking.  It may or may not be agreeable to us.  But, Nature is diverse.  There are many types of attitudes.  The differences, though true are but superficial.  In essence, there is Unity.  All these are but His Manifestations.

“ChaaturVarnyam Mayaa Srushtam”.... “The four types have been created by Me”, says Shri Krishna.