Shloka 4
धर्मनिन्दा–धर्मोपासनाफलम् तथा साध्वाचारलक्षणम्
Fruits of Disparaging vs. Observing Dharma; Marks of Good Conduct
केन वा कर्मणा विप्र: शूद्रयोनौ प्रजायते । क्षत्रिय: शूद्रतामेति केन वा कर्मणा विभो,प्रभो! कौन-सा कर्म करनेसे ब्राह्मण शूद्र-योनिमें जन्म लेता है अथवा किस कर्मसे क्षत्रिय शूद्र हो जाता है?
kena vā karmaṇā vipraḥ śūdrayonau prajāyate | kṣatriyaḥ śūdratām eti kena vā karmaṇā vibho prabho ||
摩诃提婆问道：“因何种行为，婆罗门竟会生于首陀罗之胎？又因何种行为，刹帝利会堕落为首陀罗之境？大能者、主宰啊——请告知我此等衰落的业因。”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-question about karmic causality: social and moral status are not treated as fixed merely by birth, but as susceptible to decline through adharma—actions that erode the qualities and duties expected of one’s station.
Śrī Mahēśvara poses an inquiry to a revered addressee (“vibho, prabho”), asking for the specific kinds of deeds that lead a brāhmaṇa to be reborn in a śūdra womb, or a kṣatriya to fall into śūdra-status—setting up an ensuing explanation of conduct, duty, and consequences.