Shloka 92

Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow

Go-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

विपत्तौ वैश्यवृतिं च कारयेद्द्विजसत्तमः । वैश्यवृत्तिं वणिग्भावं कृषिं चैव तथापरैः

Transliteration

vipattau vaiśyavṛtiṃ ca kārayeddvijasattamaḥ | vaiśyavṛttiṃ vaṇigbhāvaṃ kṛṣiṃ caiva tathāparaiḥ

Translation

Em tempos de calamidade, o melhor entre os dvijas pode assumir o sustento de um vaiśya; e essa ocupação vaiśya consiste no comércio e também na agricultura, conforme ensinam outros.

Word by Word

• vipattau: in adversity / distress
• vipattau: Adhikarana (Time/Condition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipatti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• vaiśyavṛttim: livelihood of a Vaishya
• vaiśyavṛttim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśyavṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• kārayet: should perform / practice
• kārayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Causative Optative (Nich-Vidhilin), 3rd Person, Singular

• dvijasattamaḥ: best of twice-borns
• dvijasattamaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvijasattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• vaṇigbhāvam: trade / merchant-hood
• vaṇigbhāvam: Samana-adhikarana (Apposition to vaiśyavṛttim)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaṇigbhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• kṛṣim: agriculture
• kṛṣim: Samana-adhikarana (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• eva: indeed
• eva: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb

• aparaiḥ: by other (means)
• aparaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

Speaker

Unspecified (narratorial/dharmic instruction within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: kārayet + dvija = kārayeddvija (t to d); ca + eva = caiva (Vriddhi); tathā + aparaiḥ = tathāparaiḥ (Savarna Dirgha)

FAQs

What dharmic principle is taught in this verse?

It teaches āpaddharma—rules for exceptional circumstances—allowing a twice-born person, even a Brahmin, to adopt Vaiśya means of livelihood during crisis.

What occupations are identified here as Vaiśya livelihood?

The verse points to vaṇigbhāva (trade/commerce) and kṛṣi (agriculture) as key components of Vaiśya occupation.

What is the ethical lesson conveyed by permitting a change of livelihood?

The ethical lesson is practicality within dharma: preserving life and social stability in hardship can justify adopting a permitted, non-harmful occupation, without abandoning moral restraint.