Bhagavad-gītā 18.44
Read once with your eyes. Read again aloud.
कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम्।परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम्।।18.44।।
kṛiṣhi-gau-rakṣhya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśhya-karma svabhāva-jam paricharyātmakaṁ karma śhūdrasyāpi svabhāva-jam
Agriculture, cattle-rearing and trade are the duties of the Vaishyas, born of (their own) nature; and action consisting of service is the duty of the Sudras, born of (their own) nature.
English rendering by Swami Swarupananda. Public domain first edition, 1909.
Build the sentence from its parts
Read across once, then cover the meanings and recover them from the Sanskrit forms.
| Sanskrit form | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| kṛiṣhi | agriculture |
| gau-rakṣhya | dairy farming |
| vāṇijyam | commerce |
| vaiśhya | of the mercantile and farming class |
| karma | work |
| svabhāva-jam | born of one’s intrinsic qualities |
| paricharyā | serving through work |
| ātmakam | natural |
| karma | duty |
| śhūdrasya | of the worker class |
| api | and |
| svabhāva-jam | born of one’s intrinsic qualities |
Use the word map to follow the relation among kṛiṣhi (agriculture), paricharyā (serving through work), and svabhāva-jam (born of one’s intrinsic qualities). Ask what changes between the first and last term, and how that movement contributes to freedom through discernment and surrender. State the connection in your own words, then check it against Bhagavad-gita 18.44.
Original school explanation. Written independently from the Sanskrit word map. It is not a quotation, translation, or summary of a named modern commentary. Chapter lens: Follow the great recapitulation through renunciation, action, knowledge, duty, devotion, refuge and Sañjaya’s conclusion.
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Meaning map
Follow the thought
- 1
Agriculture, cattle-rearing and trade are the duties of the Vaishyas, born of (their own) nature
- 2
and action consisting of service is the duty of the Sudras, born of (their own) nature
- 3
kṛiṣhi: agriculture
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A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Bhagavad-gita As It IsFor Bhagavad-gita 18.44, consult the authorized BBT edition. No purport, translation, or author-attributed summary is reproduced here.
Find the authorized editionBhaktivinoda Thakura
Rasika-ranjanaA verified independent rendering for Bhagavad-gita 18.44 has not yet passed scholarly and rights review. Modern translations are not copied here.
Independent rendering pending reviewBaladeva Vidyabhushana
Gita-bhushana-bhashyaThe original work is classical. A newly commissioned or independently prepared translation for Bhagavad-gita 18.44 must be verified before publication.
Independent translation pending reviewVishvanatha Cakravarti Thakura
Sarartha-varshini-tikaThe original work is classical. A newly commissioned or independently prepared translation for Bhagavad-gita 18.44 must be verified before publication.
Independent translation pending reviewOther Gaudiya acharyas
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