SB 11.17.47 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.17.47

सीदन् विप्रो वणिग्वृत्त्या पण्यैरेवापदं तरेत् । खड्‍गेन वापदाक्रान्तो न श्ववृत्त्या कथञ्चन ॥ ४७ ॥

sīdan vipro vaṇig-vṛttyā

[seedan vipro vanig-vrittyaa]

paṇyair evāpadaṁ taret

[panyair evaapadam taret]

khaḍgena vāpadākrānto

[khadgena vaapadaakraanto]

na śva-vṛttyā kathañcana

[na shva-vrittyaa kathanchana]

Word-for-word

sīdan — suffering vipraḥ — a brāhmaṇa vaṇik — of a merchant vṛttyā — by the occupation paṇyaiḥ — by doing business eva — indeed āpadam — suffering taret — should overcome khaḍgena — with sword vā — or āpadā — by suffering ākrāntaḥ — afflicted na — not śva — of the dog vṛttyā — by the occupation kathañcana — by any means.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

sīdan vipro vaṇig-vṛttyā

sīdan

suffering

vipraḥ

a brāhmaṇa

vaṇik

of a merchant

vṛttyā

by the occupation

paṇyair evāpadaṁ taret

paṇyaiḥ

by doing business

eva

indeed

āpadam

suffering

taret

should overcome

khaḍgena vāpadākrānto

khaḍgena

with sword

vā

āpadā

by suffering

ākrāntaḥ

afflicted

na śva-vṛttyā kathañcana

not

śva

of the dog

vṛttyā

by the occupation

kathañcana

by any means.

If a brāhmaṇa cannot support himself through his regular duties and is thus suffering, he may adopt the occupation of a merchant and overcome his destitute condition by buying and selling material things. If he continues to suffer extreme poverty even as a merchant, then he may adopt the occupation of a kṣatriya, taking sword in hand. But he cannot in any circumstances become like a dog, accepting an ordinary master.

Purport

Śva-vṛttyā, or “a dog’s profession,” refers to the śūdras, who cannot live without accepting a master. A destitute brāhmaṇa who is suffering intolerably may become a merchant and then a kṣatriya but may never take the position of a śūdra by working in a company or accepting a master. Although a kṣatriya is ordinarily considered more elevated than a vaiśya, the Lord here recommends that distressed brāhmaṇas first accept the vaiśya occupation, since it is not violent.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

A suffering brāhmaṇa can overcome difficulties by acting as a merchant, or in times of danger he can take up the occupation of a kṣatriyas. But he should not take an occupation of serving low persons. Occupations during calamity are described in three verses. He may engage in selling, but not selling liquor or salt or other forbidden items. In times of danger he takes up the duties of a kṣatriya. It is said that Gautama took up a sinful occupation when in danger. One may think that taking up kṣatriya duties would be superior to vaiśyas duties, but according to the Lord, vaiśya occupation is superior to the kṣatriya occupation for the brāhmaṇa because there is violence in kṣatriya duties. One should not maintain oneself by serving low persons.

Personal Guidance

A brāhmaṇa who cannot live by his duties may become a merchant; if still poor, may live as a kṣatriya — accepting necessity. Pragmatism is allowed when principle would otherwise be violated.

Reflection Questions

Where do I confuse purity with rigidity, and miss the Lord's flexibility?
What changes if I accept that necessity sometimes restructures role?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io