Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.17.49

śūdra-vṛttiḿ bhajed vaiśyaḥ

śūdraḥ kāru-kaṭa-kriyām

kṛcchrān mukto na garhyeṇa

vṛttiḿ lipseta karmaṇā

SYNONYMS

śūdra — of the śūdras; vṛttim — occupation; bhajet — may accept; vaiśyaḥ — a vaiśya; śūdraḥ — a śūdra; kāru — of the artisan; kaṭa — straw baskets and mats; kriyām — making; kṛcchrāt — from the difficult situation; muktaḥ — freed; na — not; garhyeṇa — by that which is inferior; vṛttim — livelihood; lipseta — one should desire; karmaṇā — 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.

<<< >>>

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