Bhagavad Gita — Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Shloka 44

Moksha Sannyasa Yoga

Devanagari script

कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम् । परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम् ॥ १८.४४ ॥

Transliteration

kṛṣi-gaurakṣya-vāṇijyaṃ vaiśya-karma svabhāvajam | paricaryātmakaṃ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāvajam || 18.44 ||

Translation

Agriculture, protection of cows, and trade—these are the duties born of the Vaishya’s own nature; and service in the form of attendance is the duty born of the Shudra’s own nature as well.

Gita Press Meaning

कृषि, गो-रक्षा और वाणिज्य—ये वैश्य के स्वभाव से उत्पन्न कर्म हैं; और परिचर्या-रूप कर्म शूद्र के भी स्वभाव से उत्पन्न है।

Critical Edition Meaning

Agriculture, cattle-tending, and trade are the vaiśya’s duties born of nature; service-oriented work is the śūdra’s duty, also born of nature.

Comparative Note

Academic discussion often notes the normative social schema reflected here. Interpretations differ on whether the verse describes an ideal functional division or legitimizes hereditary stratification; the text grounds the division in guṇa/svabhāva language, which can be read more dispositionally than genealogically.

Word by Word

• कृषि: agriculture; cultivation
• Root: कृषि

• गौरक्ष्य: cow-protection; tending cattle
• Root: गोरक्ष्य

• वाणिज्यम्: trade; commerce
• Root: वाणिज्य

• वैश्यकर्म: the duty/work of a Vaiśya
• Root: वैश्यकर्मन्

• स्वभावजम्: born of one’s own nature; arising from innate disposition
• Root: स्वभावज

• परिचर्या: service; attendance; ministering
• Root: परिचर्या

• आत्मकम्: consisting in; having the nature of
• Root: आत्मक

• कर्म: work; duty; action
• Root: कर्मन्

• शूद्रस्य: of the Śūdra
• Root: शूद्र

• अपि: also; even
• Root: अपि

• स्वभावजम्: born of one’s own nature; arising from innate disposition
• Root: स्वभावज

Speakers

• Krishna

Primary Concepts

• Svabhāva
• Karma (duty/work)
• Varṇa (functional categories)
• Paricaryā (service)

Key Themes

• Economic and social functions
• Ethics of work
• Disposition-based roles

FAQs

Psychological significance?

It associates different work domains with differing strengths—production, stewardship, exchange, and support—suggesting that social stability depends on competent fulfillment of varied functions.

Metaphysical meaning?

All such occupations remain within the realm of prakṛti; spiritual progress depends on the manner of action (intention, non-attachment), not only on the job type.

Contextual relevance?

This completes the fourfold listing of duties, setting up the next verses that emphasize attaining fulfillment through dedicated performance of one’s own work.

Modern Application?

It can be approached as an ancient model of division of labor, while modern readers may reinterpret it as aptitude-based vocational ethics rather than fixed social hierarchy.