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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 41 (18.41)

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Verse 41 (18.41)

ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप । कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः | | १८-४१ | |

brāhmaṇakṣhatriyaviśhāṁ śhūdrāṇāṁ cha parantapa karmāṇi pravibhaktāni svabhāvaprabhavairguṇaiḥ

Word-by-word guide:
Line 1:
  • ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशाम् (brāhmaṇa-kṣhatriya-viśhām) — ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय और वैश्य के(of teachers, warriors, and traders)
  • शूद्राणाम् (śhūdrāṇām) — शूद्रों के(of servants)
  • (cha) — और(and)
  • परन्तप (Parantapa) — हे परन्तप अर्जुन(Arjuna (slayer of foes))
Line 2:
  • कर्माणि (karmāṇi) — कर्म(duties/activities)
  • रइभतइ (pravibhaktāni) — रइभतइ(are distributed)
  • स्वभावप्रभवैः (svabhāva-prabhavaiḥ) — स्वभाव से उत्पन्न(born of their own nature)
  • गुणैः (guṇaiḥ) — गुणों से(by the qualities)

English: Arjuna, The duties of spiritual teachers, the soldiers, the traders and the servants have all been fixed according to the dominant quality in their nature.

💡 Commentary Note

Duties of different social and natural orders are allocated based on their inherent gunas and temperaments (swabhava).

Learnings from Shloka 41:
  • Natural Temperament:: Work should align with our natural skills, values, and psychological type.
  • Organic Division:: Society functions best when everyone performs roles suited to their unique temperament.

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 18.41 with their Hindi and English meanings.

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