Shloka 10
Adhyāya 189: Japa—Inquiry into the Jāpaka, Method
Vidhi), and Fruit (Phala
भगुरुवाच न विशेषो<स्ति वर्णानां सर्व ब्राह्ममिदं जगत् । ब्रह्मणा पूर्वसृष्ट हि कर्मभिर्वर्णतां गतम्
bhagur uvāca na viśeṣo 'sti varṇānāṃ sarvaṃ brāhmam idaṃ jagat | brahmaṇā pūrvasṛṣṭaṃ hi karmabhir varṇatāṃ gatam ||
ভৃগুৱে ক’লে— মুনে! আদিতে বৰ্ণসমূহৰ মাজত কোনো বিশেষ ভেদ নাছিল। ব্ৰহ্মাৰ দ্বাৰা প্ৰথমে সৃষ্ট হোৱাৰ বাবে এই সমগ্ৰ জগত ব্ৰাহ্মই আছিল; পাছত কৰ্মৰ বৈচিত্ৰ্যৰ ফলত বৰ্ণভেদ প্ৰকাশ পালে।
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
That varṇa distinctions are not primordial or inherent; the world is originally one in essence, and later social classifications arise from karma—people’s actions, roles, and conduct—rather than an absolute original separation.
In a didactic dialogue within Śānti Parva, Bhagu explains an origin account of varṇa: initially there was no differentiation, but as beings engaged in different kinds of work and behavior, society came to describe them in distinct varṇa categories.