SB 12.7.13 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.7.13

वृत्तिर्भूतानि भूतानां चराणामचराणि च । कृता स्वेन नृणां तत्र कामाच्चोदनयापि वा ॥ १३ ॥

vṛttir bhūtāni bhūtānāṁ

[vrittir bhootaani bhootaanaam]

carāṇām acarāṇi ca

[charaanaam acharaani cha]

kṛtā svena nṛṇāṁ tatra

[kritaa svena nrinaam tatra]

kāmāc codanayāpi vā

[kaamaach chodanayaapi vaa]

Word-for-word

vṛttiḥ — the sustenance bhūtāni — living beings bhūtānām — of living beings carāṇām — of those that move acarāṇi — those that do not move ca — and kṛtā — executed svena — by one’s own conditioned nature nṛṇām — for human beings tatra — therein kāmāt — out of lust codanayā — in pursuit of Vedic injunction api — indeed vā — or.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

vṛttir bhūtāni bhūtānāṁ

vṛttiḥ

the sustenance

bhūtāni

living beings

bhūtānām

of living beings

carāṇām acarāṇi ca

carāṇām

of those that move

acarāṇi

those that do not move

and

kṛtā svena nṛṇāṁ tatra

kṛtā

executed

svena

by one’s own conditioned nature

nṛṇām

for human beings

tatra

therein

kāmāc codanayāpi vā

kāmāt

out of lust

codanayā

in pursuit of Vedic injunction

api

indeed

vā

or.

Vṛtti means the process of sustenance, by which the moving beings live upon the nonmoving. For a human, vṛtti specifically means acting for one’s livelihood in a manner suited to his personal nature. Such action may be carried out either in pursuit of selfish desire or in accordance with the law of God.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

Vṛtti means the process of sustenance, by which the moving beings live upon the nonmoving beings. For a human, vṛtti specifically means acting for one's livelihood in a manner suited to his personal nature, either by desire or according to regulation. The previously mentioned sthāna or sustenance is here called vṛtti. That is explained in this verse. Because of desire, in general, the sustenance of the moving beings is the non-moving beings, and sometimes even other moving beings, indicated by the word ca. Among men, sustenance of the body according to one’s nature out of desire or by regulation is called vṛtti. The whole of the earth is the shelter for the moving and non-moving beings. In relation to this the earth globe is described in the Fifth Canto.

Personal Guidance

Vṛtti — sustenance — describes how the moving live on the nonmoving, and how a human's specific vrtti is the act of livelihood. Even how we earn is a sacred topic; it should be conducted as part of dharma, not separate from it.

Reflection Questions

Is my livelihood inside my dharma or pushed to a separate compartment?
What small adjustment could bring more dharma into how I earn?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io