Verse 18.44
Speaker: Krishna
Sanskrit
कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम् | परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम् ||४४||
Transliteration (IAST)
kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam | paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāva-jam ||44||
Word-by-Word Meanings
kṛṣi-agriculture
go-rakṣya-cow-protection
vāṇijyam-trade/commerce
vaiśya-karma-duty of the merchant class
paricaryātmakam-consisting of service
karma-duty
śūdrasya-of the laboring class
svabhāva-jam-born of one's nature
Translation
Agriculture, cattle-rearing, and trade are the duties of a Vaishya, born of his own nature; and service is the duty of a Shudra, born of his own nature.
Commentary
Krishna completes the description of natural duties for all four varnas. Shankaracharya explains that these divisions reflect the predominance of different gunas - rajas with tamas for Vaishyas, and tamas with some rajas for Shudras. Madhva emphasizes that all duties, when performed as worship of God, lead to spiritual perfection regardless of their nature.
Themes
dharmadutykarma