Canto 11: General HistoryChapter 17: Lord Krishna's Description of the Varnāśrama System

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.17.49

śūdra-vrittim bhajed vaiśyah

śūdrah kāru-kata-kriyām

kricchrān mukto na garhyena

vrittim lipseta karmanā

SYNONYMS

śūdra — of the śūdras; vrittim — occupation; bhajet — may accept; vaiśyaha vaiśya; śūdraha śūdra; kāru — of the artisan; kata — straw baskets and mats; kriyām — making; kricchrāt — from the difficult situation; muktah — freed; na — not; garhyena — by that which is inferior; vrittim — livelihood; lipseta — one should desire; karmanā — by work.

TRANSLATION

A vaiśya, or mercantile man, who cannot maintain himself may adopt the occupation of a śūdra, snd a śūdra who cannot find a master can engage in simple activities like making baskets and mats of straw. However, all members of society who have adopted inferior occupations in emergency situations must give up those substitute occupations when the difficulties have passed.

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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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