Canto 7: The Science of GodChapter 11: The Perfect Society: Four Social Classes

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.11.15

vaiśyas tu vārtā-vṛttiḥ syān

nityaḿ brahma-kulānugaḥ

śūdrasya dvija-śuśrūṣā

vṛttiś ca svāmino bhavet

SYNONYMS

vaiśyaḥ — the mercantile community; tu — indeed; vārtā-vṛttiḥ — engaged in agriculture, cow protection, and trade; syāt — must be; nityam — always; brahma-kula-anugaḥ — following the directions of the brāhmaṇas; śūdrasya — of the fourth-grade persons, the workers; dvija-śuśrūṣā — the service of the three higher sections (the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas); vṛttiḥ — means of livelihood; ca — and; svāminaḥ — of the master; bhavethe must be.

TRANSLATION

The mercantile community should always follow the directions of the brāhmaṇas and engage in such occupational duties as agriculture, trade, and protection of cows. For the śūdras the only duty is to accept a master from a higher social order and engage in his service.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness