Shloka 6
Jāpakānāṃ Gatiḥ — The Destinies of Japa-Practitioners (Śānti Parva 12.190)
वणिज्या पशुरक्षा च कृष्यादानरति: शुचि: । वेदाध्ययनसम्पन्न: स वैश्य इति संज्ञित:
vaṇijyā paśurakṣā ca kṛṣyādānaratiḥ śuciḥ | vedādhyayanasampannaḥ sa vaiśya iti saṃjñitaḥ ||
Bharadvāja berkata: “Sesiapa yang menumpukan diri pada perniagaan, pemeliharaan ternakan, pertanian, dan pemberian sedekah; yang suci dalam tingkah laku; serta mahir dalam pengajian Veda—orang demikian ditetapkan sebagai Vaiśya.”
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse defines the ethical and occupational markers of a Vaiśya: engaging in commerce, safeguarding livestock, practicing agriculture, being inclined to charitable giving, maintaining purity of conduct, and being grounded in Vedic study.
In the Śānti Parva’s dharma-discourse, Bharadvāja is explaining characteristics (lakṣaṇas) by which a person is recognized as belonging to the Vaiśya varṇa, emphasizing both livelihood and moral-religious discipline.