Shloka 47
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
तस्माद् वर्णा ऋजवो ज्ञातिवर्णा: संसृज्यन्ते तस्य विकार एव । एकं साम यजुरेकमृगेका विप्रश्नैको निश्चये तेषु सृष्ट:
tasmād varṇā ṛjavō jñātivarṇāḥ saṃsṛjyante tasya vikāra eva | ekaṃ sāma yajur ekam ṛg ekā vipraśnaiko niścaye teṣu sṛṣṭaḥ ||
毗湿摩说：因此，诸姓本性质直，实则互为亲族；皆由那唯一之源转变而生。正如《娑摩》《夜柔》《梨俱》虽各有名相，然皆可追溯于同一根本理则，本质并不相离；同样地——若探究诸姓之真实而断其本性——便见一唯一的根本体性显现为一切诸姓。故其最深处的同一性为一，而诸分判不过次要，不能胜过共同之源。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma emphasizes that the varṇas are not ultimately separate in essence: they arise as transformations from a single foundational principle. The ethical implication is to reduce pride and hostility based on birth or social division, recognizing a shared origin and deeper unity.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and social order, Bhīṣma explains to the listener that distinctions among varṇas are secondary. He supports this with a Vedic analogy: just as the three Vedas are expressions grounded in one underlying basis, so the varṇas too can be understood as manifestations of one source when their reality is carefully examined.