Chapter 4, Verse 13
चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः | तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ||४-१३||
cāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ . tasya kartāramapi māṃ viddhyakartāramavyayam ||4-13||
Meaning
4.13 The fourfold caste has been created by Me according to the differentiation of Guna and Karma; though I am the author thereof know Me as non-doer and immutable.
Word-by-Word Meaning
Explanation & Commentary
Krishna explains the cātur-varṇya — the fourfold order of society — as arising from guṇa and karma: the natural qualities and resulting tendencies of beings, not from birth alone. The classification reflects an inner reality of temperament and aptitude, a natural division of roles within the whole of life. The deeper Vedanta reads this as a description of how nature organizes itself.
The more striking teaching follows: though Krishna is the creator of this order, He is its akartā — non-doer — and avyaya, unchanging. This is the great paradox of divine action. The Lord brings forth the entire moving world yet remains forever untouched, like the sky in which clouds form and dissolve. To know the divine truly is to grasp this: supremely active in creation, yet eternally at rest. This becomes the very model for how the liberated sage acts.
💡 Key Takeaway
The divine creates the whole moving world yet remains untouched by it — the model for acting fully while staying inwardly free.
Related Verses
काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः | क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा ||४-१२||
kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṃ siddhiṃ yajanta iha devatāḥ . kṣipraṃ hi mānuṣe loke siddhirbhavati karmajā ||4-12||
4.12 Those who long for success in action in this world sacrifice to the gods; because success is ickly attained by men through action.
न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा | इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते ||४-१४||
na māṃ karmāṇi limpanti na me karmaphale spṛhā . iti māṃ yo.abhijānāti karmabhirna sa badhyate ||4-14||
4.14 Actions do not taint Me, nor have I a desire for the fruit of actions. He who knows Me thus is not bound by actions.
एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः | कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम् ||४-१५||
evaṃ jñātvā kṛtaṃ karma pūrvairapi mumukṣubhiḥ . kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṃ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṃ kṛtam ||4-15||
4.15 Having known this, the ancient seekers after freedom also performed action; therefore do thou also perform action, as did the ancients in days of yore.