Shloka 6

Jāpakānāṃ Gatiḥ — The Destinies of Japa-Practitioners (Śānti Parva 12.190)

Devanagari script

वणिज्या पशुरक्षा च कृष्यादानरति: शुचि: । वेदाध्ययनसम्पन्न: स वैश्य इति संज्ञित:

Transliteration

vaṇijyā paśurakṣā ca kṛṣyādānaratiḥ śuciḥ | vedādhyayanasampannaḥ sa vaiśya iti saṃjñitaḥ ||

Translation

Bharadvāja said: “One who is devoted to trade, the protection of cattle, agriculture, and the giving of gifts; who is pure in conduct; and who is accomplished in Vedic study—such a person is designated a Vaiśya.”

Word by Word

• वणिज्या: trade, commerce
• वणिज्या: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वणिज्या
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पशुरक्षा: protection of cattle/animals
• पशुरक्षा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु-रक्षा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कृषि: agriculture, farming
• कृषि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृषि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• आदानरति: delight in acquisition/receiving (taking)
• आदानरति: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदान-रति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• शुचि: pure, clean
• शुचि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वेदाध्ययनसम्पन्न: endowed with Vedic study (learned in the Vedas)
• वेदाध्ययनसम्पन्न: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद-अध्ययन-सम्पन्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स: he
• स: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वैश्य: a Vaiśya
• वैश्य: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• संज्ञित: is called, is designated
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ज्ञा
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

भरद्वाज उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bharadvāja
• Vaiśya
• Veda

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines the ethical and occupational markers of a Vaiśya: engaging in commerce, safeguarding livestock, practicing agriculture, being inclined to charitable giving, maintaining purity of conduct, and being grounded in Vedic study.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s dharma-discourse, Bharadvāja is explaining characteristics (lakṣaṇas) by which a person is recognized as belonging to the Vaiśya varṇa, emphasizing both livelihood and moral-religious discipline.