Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan

Now when the problem is there everywhere there is program for solving the problem. And that program is a system of Varnashram. That will be described in next verse. 

Bg 18.41

brāhmaṇa-kṣatriya-viśāṁ
śūdrāṇāṁ ca paran-tapa
karmāṇi pravibhaktāni
svabhāva-prabhavair guṇaiḥ

Synonyms: 

brāhmaṇa — of the brāhmaṇas; kṣatriya — the kṣatriyas; viśām — and the vaiśyas; śūdrāṇām — of the śūdras; ca— and; param–tapa — O subduer of the enemies; karmāṇi — the activities; pravibhaktāni — are divided; svabhāva — their own nature; prabhavaiḥ — born of; guṇaiḥ — by the modes of material nature.

Translation: 

Brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras are distinguished by the qualities born of their own natures in accordance with the material modes, O chastiser of the enemy.

brāhmaṇa-kṣatriya-viśāṁ, viśāṁ is short form of Vaishya, 

śūdrāṇāṁ ca paran-tapa, O paran-tapa, O great conqueror to conquer the modes you can be part of the Varanashram. Varanashram is most systematic system.   

The way to overcome materialism is to practice spiritual life in a structured way, without this structural arrangement the individual endeavor is quite an uphill. We can see the Varna as four human types and not as casts. So people of these four types will always be there in society and each type should perform certain roles as per their varan to make spiritual advancement. 

Krishna will talk about how this varan through karma takes one to spiritual level but first he will talk about what are the expected qualities from a person in one varna. 

So people with these karma tendencies are there in all human societies, proficiency to earn money, proficiency to manage, delegate and see etc. one will be satisfied in doing job as per one’s propensity, job satisfaction. But just acting as per one’s propensity doesn’t lead to naturally playing role in varnashrama. That is just one part of it, other part is one has to do the karma within dharmic framework. So if one is an intellectual one should study Shashtra and teach about Shashtra, when a dharmic framework is there for one to perform his prescribed duty then that will lead to elevation.

End of transcription.