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== स्मृत्यां वर्णः ॥ Varna in Smrtis ==

== स्मृत्यां वर्णः ॥ Varna in Smrtis ==

The twin features of svabhava and svadharma mentioned in the above context appear again and again across Hindu texts of different genres. Manusmṛti (1.87), for example, describes how cosmic Puruṣha allotted different duties to people born from His different limbs for the sake of protecting and sustaining the universe.<ref name=":2" /> Talking of the purpose of the Varna Dharma Manu says,<blockquote>सर्वस्यास्य तु सर्गस्य गुप्त्यर्थं स महाद्युतिः । मुखबाहूरुपज्जानां पृथक्कर्माण्यकल्पयत् । । १.८७ । ।<ref name=":0">Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 1]</ref></blockquote><blockquote>sarvasyāsya tu sargasya guptyarthaṁ sa mahādyutiḥ । mukhabāhūrupajjānāṁ pr̥thakkarmāṇyakalpayat । । 1.87 । ।</blockquote>Meaning: With a view to the protection of this entire creation, the Resplendent One ordained the distinct functions of those who sprang from the mouth, the arms, the thighs and the feet (1.87).<ref name=":1">Ganganath Jha (1920-39), Manusmrti ([https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.8241/page/n5 Vol.3]), Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited.</ref>

The twin features of svabhava and svadharma mentioned in the above context appear again and again across Hindu texts of different genres. Manusmṛti (1.87), for example, describes how cosmic Puruṣha allotted different duties to people born from His different limbs for the sake of protecting and sustaining the universe.<ref name=":2" /> Talking of the purpose of the Varna Dharma Manu says,<blockquote>सर्वस्यास्य तु सर्गस्य गुप्त्यर्थं स महाद्युतिः । मुखबाहूरुपज्जानां पृथक्कर्माण्यकल्पयत् । । १.८७ । ।<ref name=":0">Manusmrti, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 1]</ref></blockquote><blockquote>sarvasyāsya tu sargasya guptyarthaṁ sa mahādyutiḥ । mukhabāhūrupajjānāṁ pr̥thakkarmāṇyakalpayat । । 1.87 । ।</blockquote>Meaning: With a view to the protection of this entire creation, the Resplendent One ordained the distinct functions of those who sprang from the mouth, the arms, the thighs and the feet (1.87).<ref name=":1">Ganganath Jha (1920-39), Manusmrti ([https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.8241/page/n5 Vol.3]), Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited.</ref>

== गीतायां वर्णः ॥ Varna in the Gita ==

== गीतायां वर्णः ॥ Varna in the Gita ==

In line with the above context, the Bhagavad Gita also speaks about creation of four varṇa-s based on guṇa (natural qualities and tendencies) and karma (personal duties) (verse 4.13).  

In line with the above context, the Bhagavad Gita also speaks about creation of four varṇa-s based on guṇa (natural qualities and tendencies) and karma (personal duties) (verse 4.13).<ref name=":2" /> <blockquote>चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः | ''cāturvarṇyaṁ mayā sr̥ṣṭaṁ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ ।'' <ref>Bhagavad Gita, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE/%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%83 Chapter 4].</ref> </blockquote>and that the duties have been allotted based on the guṇa-s that arise from svabhava (verse 18.41)<ref name=":2" />.<blockquote>ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप । कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः ॥१८- ४१॥<ref>Bhagavad Gita, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%83 Chapter 18].</ref> </blockquote><blockquote>''brāhmaṇakṣatriyaviśāṁ śūdrāṇāṁ ca parantapa । karmāṇi pravibhaktāni svabhāvaprabhavairguṇaiḥ ॥18- 41॥''</blockquote>

 

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः । तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥४-१३॥

 

and that the duties have been allotted based on the ''guṇa''-s that arise from ''svabhāva'' (verse 18.41)<ref name=":2" />. In Bhagvadgita verse 18.41, Krishna states:<blockquote>"ब्रह्मनक्स्हत्रियविसम् सुद्रनम् च परन्तप |" "कर्मनि प्रविभक्तनि स्वभवप्रभवैर् गुनैह् ||"</blockquote><blockquote>"brahmana-kshatriya-visam sudranam ca parantapa |" "karmani pravibhaktani svabhava-prabhavair gunaih ||"</blockquote>Meaning : The duties of the brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaisyas and sudras are categorized according to their specific natures, produced by the gunas (sattva, rajas, tamas)

''Bhāgavatapurāṇa'' (11.17.13) stresses that the four ''varṇa''-s that originated from the supreme ''Puruṣa'' are to be recognized/designated by their ''ātmācāra'' (natural activities or personal duties according to inherent nature). ''Mahābhāratam'' (12.188), on the other hand, assigns a color to each ''varṇa'' that symbolically represents the attributes/''svabhāva'' associated with that ''varṇa'', reflecting the three qualities of the nature (''prakriti''): ''sattva, rajas, and tamas''. Frawley(2014) notes that the color white, red, yellow and black associated with ''brahmaṇa''-s, ''kṣatriya''-s, ''vaiśya''-s and ''śūdra''-s, respectively, represent the quality of purity (''sattva''), quality of aggressiveness (''rajas''), quality of trade, and quality of support (''tamas''), respectively.<ref name=":2" />

''Bhāgavatapurāṇa'' (11.17.13) stresses that the four ''varṇa''-s that originated from the supreme ''Puruṣa'' are to be recognized/designated by their ''ātmācāra'' (natural activities or personal duties according to inherent nature).  

== the meaning of the term varṇa ==

== the meaning of the term varṇa ==