Shloka 21
Tapovana-praveśaḥ — The King’s Entry into the Sacred Grove and Vision of the Āśrama
कारयन्त: कृषिं गोभिस्तथा वैश्या: क्षिताविह । युज्जते धुरि नो गाश्न कृशाज्रांशज्षाप्पजीवयन्,वैश्यगण बैलोंद्वारा इस पृथ्वीपर दूसरोंसे खेती कराते हुए भी स्वयं उनके कंधेपर जुआ नहीं रखते थे--उन्हें बोझ ढोनेमें नहीं लगाते थे और दुर्बल अंगोंवाले निकम्मे पशुओंको भी दाना-घास देकर उनके जीवनकी रक्षा करते थे
vaiśampāyana uvāca | kārayantaḥ kṛṣiṃ gobhis tathā vaiśyāḥ kṣitāv iha | yujjate dhuri no gāś ca kṛśāṅgān ajasāpi jīvayan |
Vaiśampāyana disse: Ainda que a agricultura nesta terra fosse realizada com o auxílio dos bois, os Vaiśyas não jungiam o gado ao madeiro de carga nem o forçavam a transportar pesos. Até mesmo os animais de membros fracos—impróprios para o labor duro—eram mantidos com forragem e grãos, e suas vidas eram protegidas. A passagem realça uma ética social: sustento unido à contenção e à compaixão pelos seres dependentes.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents an ethic of livelihood with compassion: even when using animals for agriculture, one should avoid overburdening them and should sustain the weak and unfit rather than exploiting them. It frames humane treatment of dependent beings as part of dharma.
Vaiśampāyana describes the conduct of the Vaiśya community: they engage in farming with cattle, yet they refrain from yoking them to heavy burdens and ensure even frail animals are fed and kept alive. The narration functions as a moral-social description within the Adi Parva context.