Chapter 18 · Verse 44

Yoga through the Perfection of Renunciation and Surrender

कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम्।परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम्

kṛiṣhi-gau-rakṣhya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśhya-karma svabhāva-jam paricharyātmakaṁ karma śhūdrasyāpi svabhāva-jam

Word Meanings

kṛiṣhi — agriculture; gau-rakṣhya — dairy farming; vāṇijyam — commerce; vaiśhya — of the mercantile and farming class; karma — work; svabhāva-jam — born of one’s intrinsic qualities; paricharyā — serving through work; ātmakam — natural; karma — duty; śhūdrasya — of the worker class; api — and; svabhāva-jam — born of one’s intrinsic qualities

Language:

Translation

Agriculture, cattle-rearing, and trade are the natural duties of the Vaishyas, born of their inherent nature; and service is the natural duty of the Shudras, also born of their inherent nature.

Commentary

कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यम् agriculture? cattlerearing and trade? वैश्यकर्म the duties of Vaisya? स्वभावजम् born of nature? परिचर्यात्मकम् consisting of service? कर्म action? शूद्रस्य of the Sudra? अपि also? स्वभावजम् born of nature.Commentary When a man performs his duties rightly according to his caste and order of life his heart is purified and he goes to heaven. Apastambha Dharma Sutra declares? Men of severla,castes and orders? each devoted to his respective duties? reap the fruits of their actions after death? and then by the residual Karma attain to births in superior Dharma? span of life? learning? conduct? wealth? happiness and intelligence (2?2?2?3). There is a vivid description in the Puranas also of the different results and worlds which men of the four castes and orders obtain by discharging their respective duties.