Shloka 29

शरद्वर्णनं, योगोपमा, तथा गोवर्धन-यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्

Devanagari script

कर्षकाणां कृषिर् वृत्तिः पण्यं विपणिजीविनाम् अस्माकं गौः परा वृत्तिर् वार्ताभेदैर् इयं त्रिभिः

Transliteration

karṣakāṇāṃ kṛṣir vṛttiḥ paṇyaṃ vipaṇijīvinām asmākaṃ gauḥ parā vṛttir vārtābhedair iyaṃ tribhiḥ

Translation

For cultivators, agriculture is their livelihood; for those who live by trade, commerce is their sustenance. But for us, the cow is the highest support of life—for this whole sphere of vārtā is understood as threefold in its divisions.

Word by Word

• कर्षकाणाम्: of farmers
• कर्षकाणाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कृषिः: agriculture
• कृषिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वृत्तिः: livelihood
• वृत्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पण्यम्: merchandise; commodity
• पण्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• विपणिजीविनाम्: of traders/merchants
• विपणिजीविनाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि + पणि + जीविन् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: विपणौ जीविनः (those who live by trade)

• अस्माकम्: of us
• अस्माकम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम

• गौः: cow
• गौः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• परा: supreme; best
• परा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier) वृत्तिः इत्यस्य

• वृत्तिः: livelihood
• वृत्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वार्ताभेदैः: by the divisions of vārttā
• वार्ताभेदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ता + भेद (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: वार्तायाः भेदैः

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• त्रिभिः: by three
• त्रिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); संख्याशब्द

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Kṛṣṇa highlights the primacy of the cow-centered pastoral economy for his community, modeling dharmic sustenance and protection of life.

Leela: Dharma-upadesa

Dharma Restored: Protection and honoring of go (cow) as a pillar of agrarian dharma and social welfare.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Livelihoods differ by vocation, yet vārttā is threefold; for the cowherd community, the cow is the highest support and center of life.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Recognize the ethical ‘center’ of one’s work—what sustains life and community—and protect it (e.g., ecology, food systems, animal welfare) as dharma.

Vishishtadvaita: Bhūmi (earth) and embodied life are to be protected as Bhagavān’s śarīra (dependent mode); care for cows/land becomes a form of dharma within God’s immanent order.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Lakshmi Presence: Bhumi

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Cow (Go)

FAQs

What is the significance of vārttā (worldly economy) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames vārttā as a structured, threefold economic order—agriculture, trade, and cattle-based livelihood—supporting society in alignment with dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain rightful livelihood in this context?

He distinguishes livelihoods by social function—farmers by cultivation, merchants by trade—while highlighting cattle (the cow) as a supremely sustaining basis of prosperity and stability.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching reflects Vaishnava dharma: social and economic life is to be ordered and sustained as part of the cosmic harmony ultimately grounded in the Supreme Reality (Vishnu).