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Mahānirvāṇa Tantra cover

॥ श्री ॥tantraFor reading

Mahānirvāṇa Tantra 8.112

Traditional

Ullāsas
14
Published
8
Verses
1201
Minutes
600
Level
advanced

Ullāsa 8 · Verse 112

विप्रादिपञ्चवर्णानां वृत्तिनिर्णयःThe livelihood of the five classes

Verse 112

वाणिज्याशक्तवैश्यानां शूद्रवृत्तमदूषणम् । शूद्राणां परमेशानि सेवावृत्तिं विधीयते ॥ ११२ ॥

vāṇijyāśaktavaiśyānāṁ śūdravṛttamadūṣaṇam | śūdrāṇāṁ paramēśāni sēvāvṛttiṁ vidhīyatē || 112 ||

Translation

For vaiśyas unable to trade, the śūdra's calling is no fault; for śūdras, Parameśānī, the calling of service is prescribed.

Word by word

vāṇijya
to trade
aśakta
unable
vaiśyānāṁ
for vaiśyas
śūdra
the śūdra's
vṛttam
(vṛttam) calling
adūṣaṇam
is no fault
śūdrāṇāṁ
for śūdras
paramēśāni
O Parameśānī
sēvā
of service
vṛttiṁ
the calling
vidhīyatē
is prescribed

Meaning

For the vaiśya, trade is the best calling, the commentary says; if he cannot trade, service carries no blame. The śūdra lives by "sevā", service. The text has "sevāvṛttiṁ" with an accusative where a nominative would be expected.

Commentary

Hariharānanda Bhāratī’s Sanskrit commentary, translated

Now he tells the livelihood of vaiśyas and of śūdras in one verse, beginning "vāṇijya…". For vaiśyas, too, trade is the best livelihood.