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Library » Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāṇa) » Canto 10: The Summum Bonum » CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

ŚB 10.24.20

Devanagari

वर्तेत ब्रह्मणा विप्रो राजन्यो रक्षया भुव: । वैश्यस्तु वार्तया जीवेच्छूद्रस्तु द्विजसेवया ॥ २० ॥

Text

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 any whimsical activity, but rather to the religious duties prescribed in the varṇāśrama, or Vedic social system.