Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.17.18

āstikyam dāna-nishthā ca

adambho brahma-sevanam

atushtir arthopacayair

vaiśya-prakritayas tv imāh

SYNONYMS

āstikyam — faith in Vedic civilization; dāna-nishthā — dedicated to charity; ca — also; adambhah — being without hypocrisy; brahma-sevanam — service to the brāhmanas; atushtih — remaining dissatisfied; artha — of money; upacayaih — by the accumulation; vaiśya — of the vaiśyas; prakritayah — the natural qualities; tu — indeed; imāh — these.

TRANSLATION

Faith in Vedic civilization, dedication to charity, freedom from hypocrisy, service to the brāhmanas and perpetually desiring to accumulate more money are the natural qualities of the vaiśyas.

PURPORT

Atushtir arthopacayaih indicates that a vaiśya is never satisfied with any amount of wealth and always wants to accumulate more. On the other hand, he is dāna-nishtha, or dedicated to charitable work; brahmasevī, always engaged in assisting the brāhmanas; and adambha, free from hypocrisy. This is due to āstikyam, or complete faith in the Vedic way of life, and confidence that one will be rewarded or punished in the next life for one's present activities. The fervent desire of the vaiśyas to accumulate wealth is not the same as ordinary material greed, because it is purified and tempered by the superior qualities mentioned in this verse.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
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