Brahma-vidyā: Satya–Tapas and the Enumeration of Tattvas
Arjuna–Vāsudeva framed dialogue
चातुर्विद्यं तथा वर्णाश्चातुराश्रमिकान् पृथक् । धर्ममेकं चतुष्पादं नित्यमाहुर्मनीषिण:,वैसे ही प्रत्येक वर्ण और आश्रमके लिये पृथक्-पृथक् चार विद्याओंका वर्णन करूँगा। मनीषी विद्वान् चार चरणोंवाले एक धर्मको नित्य बतलाते हैं
cāturvidyaṃ tathā varṇāś cāturāśramikān pṛthak | dharmam ekaṃ catuṣpādaṃ nityam āhur manīṣiṇaḥ ||
También describiré, por separado, el cuádruple aprendizaje prescrito para cada varṇa y para cada una de las cuatro etapas de la vida. Los sabios declaran siempre que hay un solo Dharma, sostenido por cuatro apoyos.
वायुदेव उवाच
Dharma is fundamentally one, yet it is understood and practiced through four supports; accordingly, instruction (cāturvidya) and duties are to be explained distinctly for each varṇa and each āśrama so that conduct aligns with one overarching moral order.
Vāyudeva continues a didactic discourse, announcing that he will set out the fourfold learning and the differentiated norms for the social orders and life-stages, while grounding these distinctions in the unity of Dharma described by sages as ‘four-footed’.