Verse 4.13

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 4.13:

चातुर्-वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुण-कर्म-विभागशः ।
तस्य कर्तारम् अपि मां विद्ध्य् अकर्तारम् अव्ययम् ॥ १३ ॥

cātur-varṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ |
tasya kartāram api māṃ viddhy akartāram avyayam || 13 ||

cātur-varṇyam–the system of the four social orders, such as the brāhmaṇas; mayā–by Me; sṛṣṭam–was created; guṇa–of quality; karma–work; vibhāgaśaḥ–according to divisions; tasya–of this; kartāram–the creator; api–although; mām–Me; viddhi–you should know; akartāram–non-doer; avyayam–the unchanging.

The fourfold system of varṇas (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra) was created by Me according to divisions of quality (guṇa) and work (karma). Although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am the immutable non-doer.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

One may ask, “The paths of bhakti and jñāna give liberation as their fruit, yet the path of karma gives bondage. You, the Supreme Controller, have introduced all these paths, so how is it that this partiality exists in You?” In response, Śrī Bhagavān says, “No, no, it is not like this.” To justify this, He has spoken this verse beginning with the word cātur-varṇyam, which indicates the four varṇas.

The qualities of the four castes, or varṇas, are now described. The priestly class (brāhmaṇas) possess a predominance of the mode of goodness, and their work (karma) is to control the mind, senses and so forth. The warrior class (kṣatriya) is predominated by the mode of goodness mixed with the mode of passion, and their duty is to be chivalrous and to engage in warfare. The mercantile community (vaiśyas) is predominated by the mode of passion mixed with ignorance, and their work is business, farming and cow protection, etc. The class of servants (śūdras) is predominated by the mode of ignorance, and their prescribed duty is to work for others.

“I have created the four castes, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ, according to divisions based on quality (guṇa) and work (karma), which is the basis of the path of fruitive work. Although I am the doer and the creator of this system, you should know that I am not in fact the doer or the creator, for I am not directly concerned with this system. Material nature (prakṛti) is My potency, but I am transcendental to the modes of material nature. Therefore, although I am the creator, I am also not the creator, because I am free from the false ego of being the doer. It is My prakṛti which, as the material cause, is directly concerned with establishing this system. I am immutable. In other words, I remain unchanged; although I am the creator, I remain completely impartial and unconcerned in regard to introducing the varṇa system.”

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Śrī Bhagavān alone is the creator and direct initiator of the whole universe. Accordingly, He alone is the creator of castes and the fourfold social system of varṇa-dharma. By His constitutional nature, the jīva is an eternal servant of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Bhagavān has bestowed upon him an invaluable treasure in the form of independence. When the jīva misuses his independence by deciding to not serve Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān’s deluding potency, māyā, immediately covers his eternal nature with gross and subtle bodies and throws him into the cycle of repeated birth and death. To deliver such souls, Śrī Bhagavān, being causelessly merciful, creates the path of prescribed duty (varṇāśrama-dharma) through the agency of His illusory potency. At the same time, He is eternally engaged in enjoying through His spiritual potency, the cit-śakti. In this way, He remains both unchangeable and the non-doer.

For further details about the four varṇas, one should read Bhagavad-gītā (18.41–44) and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.11.21–24) and (11.17.16–19).