Shloka 45
कर्णेन व्यूहविधानम् — Karṇa’s Battle Formation and the Pāṇḍava Counter-Plan
Adhyāya 31
अथान्योन्यस्य संयोगाच्चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य भारत । भारत! इन्हींसे अनुलोम और विलोम क्रमसे विभिन्न वर्णोकी उत्पत्ति होती है। चारों वर्णोके पारस्परिक संयोगसे अन्य जातियाँ उत्पन्न हुई हैं ।। ४४ $ ।। गोप्तार: संगृहीतारो दातार: क्षत्रिया: स्मृता:,इनमें क्षत्रिय-जातिके लोग सबकी रक्षा करनेवाले, सबसे कर लेनेवाले और दान देनेवाले बताये गये हैं। ब्राह्मण यज्ञ कराने, वेद पढ़ाने और विशुद्ध दान ग्रहण करनेके द्वारा जीवन-निर्वाह करते हुए सम्पूर्ण जगतपर अनुग्रह करनेके लिये इस भूतलपर ब्रह्माजीके द्वारा स्थापित किये गये हैं
athānyonyasya saṃyogāc cāturvarṇyasya bhārata | bhārata! ebhiḥ anūloma-viloma-krameṇa vividhavarṇānāṃ utpattiḥ bhavati | caturṇāṃ varṇānāṃ paraspara-saṃyogād anyā jātaya utpannāḥ || goptāraḥ saṅgṛhītāro dātāraḥ kṣatriyāḥ smṛtāḥ | brāhmaṇā yajñakārakā vedādhyāpakāḥ śuddha-dāna-grahītāraś ca brahmaṇā bhūtale sthāpitāḥ sarvajagadanugrahārtham ||
Shalya said: “O Bharata, from the mutual unions within the fourfold social order arise further groups—through both the ‘in-order’ (anuloma) and ‘reverse’ (viloma) sequences. From the intermixture of the four varṇas, other communities are born. The Kṣatriyas are remembered as those who protect all, collect revenues, and give gifts. The Brāhmaṇas—living by conducting sacrifices, teaching the Veda, and accepting only pure gifts—were established on earth by Brahmā for the welfare of the whole world.”
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage outlines a traditional dharma-based view of social functions: Kṣatriyas are defined by protection, revenue-collection, and generosity, while Brāhmaṇas are defined by ritual service, Vedic instruction, and ethically regulated acceptance of gifts—presented as roles meant for the welfare of society.
In Karṇa Parva, Śalya is speaking and shifts into a didactic explanation of varṇa origins (through mutual unions) and the normative duties of Kṣatriyas and Brāhmaṇas, framing these roles as established for maintaining order and benefiting the world.