The actions of brahmins, kshatriyas, vaishyas, and shudras, Parantapa, have been apportioned, set out by a division of one from another, by the qualities born of their own nature. 'Their own nature' is the Lord's own power (prakrti), the maya made of the three qualities; the qualities have their source in that, and so are 'born of nature'; and by these the actions, tranquillity and the rest, are apportioned to brahmins and the others. Or else: the source of the brahmin's nature is the quality of sattva; the source of the kshatriya's nature is rajas with sattva subordinate; the source of the vaishya's nature is rajas with tamas subordinate; the source of the shudra's nature is tamas with rajas subordinate, this being seen in the four from the marks of calm, of lordliness, of enterprise, and of dullness. Or again: the disposition formed by acts done in earlier births, becoming manifest in the present birth as turned toward its own effect, is one's nature; the qualities have that for their source, since the rising of the qualities cannot be without a cause, and 'nature' is named as that particular cause. So, by the qualities sattva, rajas, and tamas, which spring from nature, the actions, tranquillity and the rest, are apportioned in conformity with their effect. It may be objected: the actions of brahmins and the rest, tranquillity and so on, are apportioned by scripture, enjoined by it; how then are they said to be apportioned by the qualities sattva and the rest? This is no fault. Scripture too apportions the actions, tranquillity and the rest, to brahmins and the others only with regard to the particular qualities, sattva and the rest, that they have, not without regard to the qualities; so even the actions apportioned by scripture are said to be apportioned by the qualities. What then are those actions? The Lord says.

The own being of brahmins, kshatriyas, and vaishyas is their own nature, that is, the earlier karma that is the cause of birth as a brahmin and the rest. The qualities sattva and the rest spring from that: the brahmin's nature-sprung quality is the quality of sattva, risen up by the overpowering of rajas and tamas; the kshatriya's nature-sprung quality is the quality of rajas, risen up by the overpowering of sattva and tamas; the vaishya's nature-sprung quality is the quality of tamas, slightly risen, by the overpowering of sattva and rajas; the shudra's nature-sprung quality is the quality of tamas, exceedingly risen, by the overpowering of rajas and sattva. With these nature-sprung qualities, the actions are apportioned, set forth by the scriptures. The scriptures, distinguishing, set forth that brahmins and the rest are of such qualities, and that those are their actions, and these their ways of life.

This is a brief sub-gloss. For a fuller reading of this verse, see Madhusūdana, Śaṅkara, or Rāmānuja above.

Madhvacharya does not comment on this verse.