Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.24.20

varteta brahmaṇā vipro

rājanyo rakṣayā bhuvaḥ

vaiśyas tu vārtayā jīvec

chūdras tu dvija-sevayā

SYNONYMS

varteta — lives; brahmaṇā — by the Vedas; vipraḥ — the brāhmaṇa; rājanyaḥ — the member of the ruling class; rakṣayā — by protection; bhuvaḥ — of the earth; vaiśyaḥ — the vaiśya; tu — on the other hand; vārtayā — by trade; jīvet — lives; śūdraḥ — the śūdra; tu — and; dvija-sevayā — by serving the twice-born brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas.

TRANSLATION

The brāhmaṇa maintains his life by studying and teaching the Vedas, the member of the royal order by protecting the earth, the vaiśya by trade, and the śūdra by serving the higher, twice-born classes.

PURPORT

After glorifying karma, or work, Lord Kṛṣṇa now explains what He means by prescribed duties born of one's nature. He was not referring to anv whimsical activity, but rather to the religious duties prescribed in the varṇāśrama, or Vedic social system.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari