Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.17.48

vaiśya-vṛttyā tu rājanyo

jīven mṛgayayāpadi

cared vā vipra-rūpeṇa

na śva-vṛttyā kathañcana

SYNONYMS

vaiśya — of the mercantile class; vṛttyā — by the occupation; tu — indeed; rājanyaḥ — a king; jīvet — may maintain himself; mṛgayayā — by hunting; āpadi — in an emergency or disastrous situation; caret — may act; vā — or; vipra-rūpeṇa — in the form of a brāhmaṇa; na — never; śva — of the dog; vṛttyā — by the profession; kathañcana — in any circumstance.

TRANSLATION

A king or other member of the royal order who cannot maintain himself by his normal occupation may act as a vaiśya, may live by hunting or may act as a brāhmaṇa by teaching others Vedic knowledge. But he may not under any circumstances adopt the profession of a śūdra.

<<< >>>

Copyright © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
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