varteta brahmaṇā vipro
rājanyo rakṣayā bhuvaḥ
vaiśyas tu vārtayā jīvec
chūdras tu dvija-sevayā
varteta -- lives; brahmana -- by the Vedas; viprah -- the brahmana; rajanyah -- the member of the ruling class; rakshaya -- by protection; bhuvah -- of the earth; vaisyah -- the vaisya; tu -- on the other hand; vartaya -- by trade; jivet -- lives; sudrah -- the sudra; tu -- and; dvija-sevaya -- by serving the twice-born brahmanas, kshatriyas and vaisyas.
The brahmana maintains his life by studying and teaching the Vedas, the member of the royal order by protecting the earth, the vaisya by trade, and the sudra by serving the higher, twice-born classes.
After glorifying karma, or work, Lord Krishna now explains what He means by prescribed duties born of one's nature. He was not referring to anv whimsical activity, but rather to the religious duties prescribed in the varnasrama, or Vedic social system.
