कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम् ।परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम् ॥
kṛṣigaurakṣyavāṇijyaṃ vaiśyakarma svabhāvajam |paricaryātmakaṃ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāvajam ||
- कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यम् · kṛṣigaurakṣyavāṇijyam
- farming, cattle-keeping, and trade
- वैश्यकर्म · vaiśyakarma
- the work of a vaishya
- स्वभावजम् · svabhāvajam
- born of nature
- परिचर्यात्मकम् · paricaryātmakam
- consisting in service
- कर्म · karma
- work
- शूद्रस्य · śūdrasya
- of a shudra
- अपि · api
- also
“Farming, cattle-keeping, and trade are the natural work of a vaishya; work consisting in service is likewise the natural work of a shudra.”
— Original plain-language translation
The productive and serving orders complete the social body: growers and traders sustain life, helpers sustain households and crafts. Every station has dignity when done as duty — the next verses will show each becomes a path to perfection. Read for function and aptitude, not hierarchy of worth.
— Reader's notes (original)