ऋतामृताभ्यां जीवेत मृतेन प्रमृतेन वा ।
सत्यानृताभ्यामपि वा न श्ववृत्त्या कदाचन ॥१८॥
ऋतमुञ्छशिलं प्रोक्तममृतं यदयाचितम् ।
मृतं तु नित्ययाच्ञा स्यात् प्रमृतं कर्षणं स्मृतम् ॥१९॥
सत्यानृतं च वाणिज्यं श्ववृत्तिर्नीचसेवनम् ।
वर्जयेत् तां सदा विप्रो राजन्यश्च जुगुप्सिताम् ।
सर्ववेदमयो विप्रः सर्वदेवमयो नृपः ॥२०॥

á¹›tÄmá¹›tÄbhyÄá¹ jÄ«veta
má¹›tena pramá¹›tena vÄ
satyÄná¹›tÄbhyÄm api vÄ
na Å›va-vá¹›ttyÄ kadÄcana
ṛtam uñchaśilaṠproktam
amá¹›taá¹ yad ayÄcitam
má¹›taá¹ tu nitya-yÄcÃ±Ä syÄt
pramṛtaṠkarṣaṇaṠsmṛtam
satyÄná¹›taá¹ ca vÄṇijyaá¹
śva-vṛttir nīca-sevanam
varjayet tÄá¹ sadÄ vipro
rÄjanyaÅ› ca jugupsitÄm
sarva-vedamayo vipraḥ
sarva-devamayo nṛpaḥ

 á¹›ta-amá¹›tÄbhyÄm - of the means of livelihood known as á¹›ta and amá¹›ta; jÄ«veta - one may live; má¹›tena - by the profession of má¹›ta; pramá¹›tena vÄ - or by the profession of pramá¹›ta; satyÄná¹›tÄbhyÄm api - even by the profession of satyÄná¹›ta;  - or; na - never; Å›va-vá¹›ttyÄ - by the profession of the dogs; kadÄcana - at any time; á¹›tam - á¹›ta; uñchaÅ›ilam - the livelihood of collecting grains left in the field or marketplace; proktam - it is said; amá¹›tam - the profession of amá¹›ta; yat - which; ayÄcitam - obtained without begging from anyone else; má¹›tam - the profession of má¹›ta; tu - but; nitya-yÄcÃ±Ä - begging grains every day from the farmers; syÄt - should be; pramá¹›tam - the pramá¹›ta means of livelihood; kará¹£aṇam - tilling the field; smá¹›tam - it is so remembered; satyÄná¹›tam - the occupation of satyÄná¹›ta; ca - and; vÄṇijyam - trade; Å›va-vá¹›ttiḥ - the occupation of the dogs; nÄ«ca-sevanam - the service of low persons (the vaiÅ›yas and śūdras); varjayet - should give up; tÄm - that (the profession of the dogs); sadÄ - always; vipraḥ - the brÄhmaṇa; rÄjanyaḥ ca - and the ká¹£atriya; jugupsitÄm - very abominable; sarva-veda-mayaḥ - learned in all the Vedic understandings; vipraḥ - the brÄhmaṇa; sarva-deva-mayaḥ - the embodiment of all the demigods; ná¹›paḥ - the ká¹£atriya or king.


Text

In time of emergency, one may accept any of the various types of professions known as á¹›ta, amá¹›ta, má¹›ta, pramá¹›ta and satyÄná¹›ta, but one should not at any time accept the profession of a dog. The profession of uñchaÅ›ila, collecting grains from the field, is called á¹›ta. Collecting without begging is called amá¹›ta, begging grains is called má¹›ta, tilling the ground is called pramá¹›ta, and trade is called satyÄná¹›ta. Engaging in the service of low-grade persons, however, is called Å›va-vá¹›tti, the profession of the dogs. Specifically, brÄhmaṇas and ká¹£atriyas should not engage in the low and abominable service of śūdras. BrÄhmaṇas should be well acquainted with all the Vedic knowledge, and ká¹£atriyas should be well acquainted with the worship of demigods.

Purport

As stated in Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ (4.13), cÄtur-varṇyaá¹ mayÄ sṛṣṭaá¹ guṇa-karma-vibhÄgaÅ›aḥ: the four divisions of human society were created by the Supreme Lord according to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them. Formerly, the principle of dividing human society into four sections — brÄhmaṇa, ká¹£atriya, vaiÅ›ya and śūdra — was strictly followed, but because of gradual neglect of the varṇÄÅ›rama principles, varṇa-saá¹…kara population developed, and the entire institution has now been lost. In this Age of Kali, practically everyone is a śūdra (kalau śūdra-sambhavÄḥ), and finding anyone who is a brÄhmaṇa, ká¹£atriya or vaiÅ›ya is very difficult. Although the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a movement of brÄhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas, it is trying to reestablish the divine varṇÄÅ›rama institution, for without this division of society there cannot be peace and prosperity anywhere.