SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
SlOkam – Original
brAhmaNakshathriyaviSAm SUdhrANAm cha paranthapa |
karmANi pravibhakthAni svabhAvaprabhavair guNai: ||
word-by-word meaning
paranthapa – Oh tormenter of enemies!
brAhmaNa kshathriya viSAm – of brAhmaNas, kshathriyas and vaiSyas
SUdhrANAm cha – and of SUdhras
svabhAva prabhavai: guNai: – the qualities for each of them acquired based on (previous) karma
karmANi – activities
pravibhakthAni – are highlighted individually (in SASthram)
Simple Translation
Oh tormenter of enemies! The qualities of brAhmaNas, kshathriyas, vaiSyas and SUdhras which were acquired based on (previous) karma, and their activities, are highlighted individually (in SASthram).
Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam
‘The duties, O Foe-harasser! of Brāhmaṇas, Kshatriyas, Vaiśyas and Śudras, are assigned according to the qualities born of (their) nature.’
Svabhāva = nature = own or inherent nature, of Brāhmaṇas, etc. This nature means the past Karma that has been the cause of determining the several births as Brāhmaṇa etc. The Guṇas, viz: Satvam etc., are born of this.
Of the Brāhmaṇa, the quality dominating is Satvam which supresses the qualities of Rajas and Tamas.
Of the Kshatriya, the quality dominating is Rajas, by suppressing the qualities of Satvam and Tamas.
Of the Vaiśya, the quality slightly dominating is Tamas, by overpowering the qualities of Satvam and Rajas.
But of the Śūdra, the quality strongly regnant is Tamas, by eclipsing the qualities of Satvam and Rajas.
Duties, varying according to the qualities born of the natures of Brāhmaṇas etc., are assigned by the Śāstras; i.e., the Śāstras define that such are the qualities possessed by the Brāhmaṇas etc., such the duties proper to their station, and such their occupations etc.
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