Shloka 8
स्वेदमूत्रपुरीषाणि श्लेष्मा पित्त सशोणितम् | तनु: क्षरति सर्वेषां कस्माद् वर्णो विभज्यते,हम सब लोगोंके शरीरसे पसीना, मल, मूत्र, कफ, पित्त और रक्त निकलते हैं। ऐसी दशामें रंगके द्वारा वर्णोका विभाग कैसे किया जा सकता है?
svedamūtrapurīṣāṇi śleṣmā pitta saśoṇitam | tanuḥ kṣarati sarveṣāṁ kasmād varṇo vibhajyate ||
Bharadvāja sprach: „Aus den Körpern aller Menschen fließen Schweiß, Urin, Kot, Schleim, Galle und Blut. Wenn dies die gemeinsame Beschaffenheit aller ist, wie kann man Varṇa nach bloßer Farbe einteilen?“
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bharadvāja argues that bodily substances and biological functions are common to all humans; therefore, dividing people into varṇas on the basis of external color is irrational. The verse pushes the discussion toward ethical criteria such as conduct and qualities rather than mere appearance.
In the Śānti Parva’s discourse on dharma and social order, Bharadvāja raises a pointed question challenging color-based varṇa distinctions, using shared human physiology as evidence to undermine superficial grounds for hierarchy.