Shloka 25

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 28: Dharmādharmalakṣaṇa in Āpad

Crisis-Discernment of Right and Wrong

Devanagari script

वैश्यो5धीत्य कृषिगोरक्षपण्यै- वित्त चिन्चन्‌ पालयन्नप्रमत्त:

Transliteration

vaiśyo ’dhītya kṛṣigorakṣapaṇyaiḥ vittam cincan pālayann apramattaḥ

Translation

বায়ু বললেন—বৈশ্য নিজের কর্তব্য জেনে কৃষি, গোরক্ষা ও বাণিজ্যের দ্বারা ধন উপার্জন করবে এবং তা সতর্কভাবে রক্ষা ও পরিচালনা করবে; কখনও অসাবধান হবে না।

Word by Word

• वैश्यः: a Vaiśya (merchant/producer class man)
• वैश्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अधीत्य: having studied
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-इ (अध्ययनार्थे)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• कृषि: by agriculture; through farming
• कृषि: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृषि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• गोरक्ष: by cow-protection/cattle-tending
• गोरक्ष: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो-रक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पण्यैः: by trade/merchandise; through commerce
• पण्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• वित्तम्: wealth
• वित्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चिन्वन्: seeking; accumulating
• चिन्वन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चि (चिनोति)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पालयन्: protecting; maintaining
• पालयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (पालयति)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अप्रमत्तः: vigilant; not negligent
• अप्रमत्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-प्रमत्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Vaiśya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches Vaiśya-dharma: wealth should be earned through socially sustaining means—agriculture, cattle-protection, and trade—and then safeguarded and administered responsibly with vigilance (apramāda), not through negligence or harmful pursuits.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is instructing on proper conduct and livelihood according to varṇa-based duties, specifying the approved economic activities for a Vaiśya and emphasizing careful stewardship of wealth.