Verse 10.98 [The Functions of the Vaiśya in Abnormal Times]

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

वैश्योऽजीवन् स्वधर्मेण शूद्रवृत्त्याऽपि वर्तयेत् ।
अनाचरन्नकार्याणि निवर्तेत च शक्तिमान् ॥ ९८ ॥

vaiśyo'jīvan svadharmeṇa śūdravṛttyā'pi vartayet |
anācarannakāryāṇi nivarteta ca śaktimān || 98 ||

The Vaiśya, unable to subsist by his own occupations, may subsist by the occupations of the Śūdra, avoiding all improper acts. But he shall desist from them as soon as he is able to do so.—(98)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

This verse permits the Śūdra’s occupation for the Vaiśya, when ‘unable to subsist by his own occupations’— such as washing of the feet and so forth.

‘Avoiding all improper acts’— The sweeping of offals and such acts are ‘improper’; and all this should be avoided.

‘He shall desist as soon as he is able to do so.’—This is applicable to all.

Some people have remarked that the clear indication of the text is that what is said here is meant to apply to the Brāhmaṇa and the Kṣatriya also.

And in regard to this another party raises the question—How can the Brāhmaṇa ever have recourse to the occupations of the Śūdra?

The answer given by the other party is that it has been declared that—‘High and low are the functions of the two castes; barring the two middle ones, the rest are common to all’. (?)

This however is not right. The text does not mean that the occupations of the Śūdra are permitted for the Brāhmaṇa; the exact meaning of ‘desisting as soon as he is able’ b eing as we have explained it,—that it is applicable to all.—(98)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Madanapārijāta (p. 233).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Vaśiṣṭha (2.22-23).—‘Those who are unable to live by their own occupation may adopt that of the next inferior caste; but never that of a higher caste.’

Viṣṇu (2.15).—‘In times of distress, each caste may follow the occupation of that next below it in rank.’