Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.17.18
आस्तिक्यं दाननिष्ठा च अदम्भो ब्रह्मसेवनम् ।
अतुष्टिरर्थोपचयैर्वैश्यप्रकृतयस्त्विमा: ॥ १८ ॥
āstikyaṁ dāna-niṣṭhā ca
[aastikyam daana-nishthaa cha]
adambho brahma-sevanam
[adambho brahma-sevanam]
atuṣṭir arthopacayair
[atushtir arthopachayair]
vaiśya-prakṛtayas tv imāḥ
[vaishya-prakritayas tv imaah]
Word-for-word
āstikyam
—
faith in Vedic civilization
dāna-niṣṭhā
—
dedicated to charity
ca
—
also
adambhaḥ
—
being without hypocrisy
brahma-sevanam
—
service to the brāhmaṇas
atuṣṭiḥ
—
remaining dissatisfied
artha
—
of money
upacayaiḥ
—
by the accumulation
vaiśya
—
of the vaiśyas
prakṛtayaḥ
—
the natural qualities
tu
—
indeed
imāḥ
—
these.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
āstikyaṁ dāna-niṣṭhā ca
āstikyam
faith in Vedic civilization
dāna-niṣṭhā
dedicated to charity
ca
also
adambho brahma-sevanam
adambhaḥ
being without hypocrisy
brahma-sevanam
service to the brāhmaṇas
atuṣṭir arthopacayair
atuṣṭiḥ
remaining dissatisfied
artha
of money
upacayaiḥ
by the accumulation
vaiśya-prakṛtayas tv imāḥ
vaiśya
of the vaiśyas
prakṛtayaḥ
the natural qualities
tu
indeed
imāḥ
these.
Faith in Vedic civilization, dedication to charity, freedom from hypocrisy, service to the brāhmaṇas and perpetually desiring to accumulate more money are the natural qualities of the vaiśyas.
Purport
Atuṣṭir arthopacayaiḥ indicates that a vaiśya is never satisfied with any amount of wealth and always wants to accumulate more. On the other hand, he is dāna-niṣṭha, or dedicated to charitable work; brahmasevī, always engaged in assisting the brāhmaṇas; and adambha, free from hypocrisy. This is due to āstikyam, or complete faith in the Vedic way of life, and confidence that one will be rewarded or punished in the next life for one’s present activities. The fervent desire of the vaiśyas to accumulate wealth is not the same as ordinary material greed, because it is purified and tempered by the superior qualities mentioned in this verse.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Faith in Vedic civilization, dedication to charity, freedom from hypocrisy, service to the brāhmaṇas, dissatisfaction and desire to accumulate money are the natural qualities of the vaiśyas.
Personal Guidance
Faith in Vedic culture, charity, freedom from hypocrisy, service to brāhmaṇas, and constant desire to grow wealth — natural qualities of the vaiśya. Honest commercial energy oriented to dharma is itself sacred.
Reflection Questions
- Where do my commercial activities serve dharma, and where do they drift from it?
- How could vaiśya-virtues like charity be revived?
My note
Source: vedabase.io