Shloka 21
Tapovana-praveśaḥ — The King’s Entry into the Sacred Grove and Vision of the Āśrama
कारयन्त: कृषिं गोभिस्तथा वैश्या: क्षिताविह । युज्जते धुरि नो गाश्न कृशाज्रांशज्षाप्पजीवयन्,वैश्यगण बैलोंद्वारा इस पृथ्वीपर दूसरोंसे खेती कराते हुए भी स्वयं उनके कंधेपर जुआ नहीं रखते थे--उन्हें बोझ ढोनेमें नहीं लगाते थे और दुर्बल अंगोंवाले निकम्मे पशुओंको भी दाना-घास देकर उनके जीवनकी रक्षा करते थे
vaiśampāyana uvāca | kārayantaḥ kṛṣiṃ gobhis tathā vaiśyāḥ kṣitāv iha | yujjate dhuri no gāś ca kṛśāṅgān ajasāpi jīvayan |
Vaiśampāyana dijo: Aun cuando la labranza de esta tierra se realizaba con ayuda de bueyes, los vaiśyas no uncían al ganado al yugo de las cargas ni lo forzaban a llevar pesos. Incluso a los animales de miembros débiles—incapaces para el trabajo duro—se les sostenía con forraje y grano, y se protegía su vida. El pasaje recuerda una ética social: ganarse el sustento con mesura y compasión hacia los seres dependientes.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents an ethic of livelihood with compassion: even when using animals for agriculture, one should avoid overburdening them and should sustain the weak and unfit rather than exploiting them. It frames humane treatment of dependent beings as part of dharma.
Vaiśampāyana describes the conduct of the Vaiśya community: they engage in farming with cattle, yet they refrain from yoking them to heavy burdens and ensure even frail animals are fed and kept alive. The narration functions as a moral-social description within the Adi Parva context.