Shloka 4

Devanagari script

वाणिज्यं पाशुपाल्यं च तथा शिल्पोपजीवनम्‌ । शूद्रस्थापि विधीयन्ते यदा वृत्ति्न जायते,जब शूद्र सेवावृत्तिसे जीविका न चला सके, तब उसके लिये भी व्यापार, पशुपालन तथा शिल्पकला आदिसे जीवन-निर्वाह करनेकी आज्ञा है

Transliteration

vāṇijyaṁ pāśupālyaṁ ca tathā śilpopajīvanam | śūdrasyāpi vidhīyante yadā vṛttir na jāyate ||

Translation

Parāśara berkata: “Bila seorang Śūdra tidak mampu bertahan hidup melalui mata pencaharian layanan yang lazim baginya, maka ia pun diperkenankan mencari nafkah lewat perdagangan, pemeliharaan ternak, dan kerja kerajinan.”

Word by Word

वाणिज्यम्trade, commerce

पाशुपाल्यम्cattle-rearing, tending animals

चand

तथाalso, likewise

शिल्पोपजीवनम्livelihood by crafts/arts

शूद्रस्थापिeven in the case of a Śūdra

विधीयन्तेare prescribed/ordained

यदाwhen

वृत्तिःmeans of livelihood, subsistence

नnot

जायतेarises, is possible/available

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Parāśara

Śūdra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

If a person cannot survive through the livelihood normally associated with their social duty, dharma permits alternative, socially constructive occupations—such as trade, animal husbandry, and crafts—so that life is sustained without falling into harmful or unethical means.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s dharma-discourse, Parāśara lays down a rule about permissible livelihoods: for a Śūdra who cannot maintain himself through service, other occupations are allowed as a practical accommodation within dharma.