Shloka 26
अव्यक्त-गुण-पुरुषविवेकः | Avyakta, Guṇas, and Discrimination of Puruṣa
वणिक्ययथं द्विजं क्षत्रं वैश्यशूद्रांस्तथैव च । दानं च विविधाकारं दीनान्धकृपणादिषु
vaṇig yathāṁ dvijaṁ kṣatraṁ vaiśyaśūdrāṁs tathaiva ca | dānaṁ ca vividhākāraṁ dīnāndhakṛpaṇādiṣu ||
ວະສິດຖະ ກ່າວວ່າ: “ດັ່ງພໍ່ຄ້າ ບາງຄັ້ງລາວເຮັດການຄ້າ; ບາງຄັ້ງລາວປະຕິບັດໜ້າທີ່ຂອງພຣາຫມະນະ ແລະ ກະສັດຕຣິຍະ; ແລະບາງຄັ້ງອື່ນ ລາວກໍຮັບເອົາອາຊີບຂອງໄວຊະ ແລະ ຊູດຣະ ດ້ວຍ. ລາວໃຫ້ທານຫຼາຍຮູບແບບແກ່ຜູ້ຂັດສົນ—ຜູ້ທຸກຍາກ, ຜູ້ຕາບອດ, ຜູ້ຂັດຂ້ອງ ແລະອື່ນໆ.”
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights adaptability in livelihood and conduct across social roles, while emphasizing dāna (charitable giving) as a consistent ethical duty—especially toward the vulnerable (the destitute, afflicted, and helpless).
Vasiṣṭha is describing a person’s varied modes of action—sometimes trading, sometimes adopting the duties associated with different varṇas—and notes that he practices diverse forms of charity directed to those in need.