Shloka 54
Rudra-Śiva: Names, Two Natures, and the Logic of Epithets (रुद्रनाम-बहुरूपत्व-प्रकरणम्)
(तथैव देवि वैश्याश्व॒ लोकयात्राहिता: स्मृता: । अन्ये तानुपजीवन्ति प्रत्यक्षफलदा हि ते ।।
tathaiva devi vaiśyāś ca lokayātrāhitāḥ smṛtāḥ | anye tān upajīvanti pratyakṣaphaladā hi te || yadi na syus tathā vaiśyā na bhaveyus tathā pare || vaiśyasya satataṁ dharmaḥ pāśupālyaṁ kṛṣis tathā | agnihotraparisphando dānādhyayanam eva ca | atithisatkāraḥ śamo damo brāhmaṇānāṁ svāgataṁ tyāgaś ca ||
Maheshvara bersabda: “Wahai Dewi, demikian pula para Vaiśya dikenang sebagai penopang perjalanan hidup masyarakat. Golongan-golongan lain hidup dengan bersandar pada mereka, sebab mereka menghasilkan buah yang tampak dan segera. Jika tidak ada Vaiśya, golongan lain pun tidak akan bertahan. Dharma yang senantiasa bagi Vaiśya ialah menggembalakan dan memelihara ternak, bertani serta berdagang, melaksanakan Agnihotra secara teratur, memberi dana, dan belajar; disertai perilaku baik yang berpegang pada jalan benar—menjamu tamu, ketenangan batin dan disiplin diri, menghormati serta menyambut para Brahmana, dan kemurahan hati melalui pelepasan.”
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage frames the Vaiśya’s dharma as socially indispensable: by producing tangible goods and services (agriculture, cattle-rearing, trade), they sustain the livelihood of all, and their ethical ideal includes ritual responsibility (Agnihotra), learning, charity, hospitality, self-control, and honoring Brahmins.
In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction setting, Mahēśvara addresses Devī and explains the role and duties of the Vaiśya order, emphasizing that the other orders depend on them for practical sustenance and that their prescribed conduct combines economic work with religious and moral disciplines.