Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53
Jīva–Ātman Inquiry; Kṣetrajña Doctrine; Karma-based Varṇa; Four Āśramas and Sannyāsa Discipline
ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्राणामसितस्तथा । भरद्वाज उवाच । चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य वर्णेन यदि वर्णो विभिद्यते ॥ ५३ ॥
brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyāḥ śūdrāṇāmasitastathā | bharadvāja uvāca | cāturvarṇyasya varṇena yadi varṇo vibhidyate || 53 ||
«Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas et Śūdras — et aussi ceux au teint sombre.» Bharadvāja dit : «Si, dans l’ordre des quatre varṇas (cāturvarṇya), la varṇa se distingue par la ‘couleur’ (varṇa)…»
Bharadvaja
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
This verse frames a doctrinal question: if society is called “four-varṇa,” how can varṇa be defined purely by external ‘color.’ It prepares the ground for a dharmic, more principled definition of human classification beyond superficial traits.
Indirectly, it challenges rigid external markers as ultimate spiritual criteria—an approach consistent with Purāṇic bhakti teaching, where devotion and conduct are emphasized over mere outward identifiers.
The verse hinges on precise semantic usage of the term “varṇa” (color/class), reflecting a vyākaraṇa-style concern for correct meaning and definition—useful for interpreting dharma passages accurately.