Verse 10.99 [Functions of the Śūdra during Abnormal Times]

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

अशक्नुवंस्तु शुश्रूषां शूद्रः कर्तुं द्विजन्मनाम् ।
पुत्रदारात्ययं प्राप्तो जीवेत् कारुककर्मभिः ॥ ९९ ॥

aśaknuvaṃstu śuśrūṣāṃ śūdraḥ kartuṃ dvijanmanām |
putradārātyayaṃ prāpto jīvet kārukakarmabhiḥ || 99 ||

The Śūdra, unable to do service for twice-born people, and threatened with danger to his wife and sons, may subsist by the occupations of craftsmen.—(99)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Craftsmen’— such as cooks, weavers, and the like; the occupations of these are cooking, weaving and so forth. By these, ‘he may subsist.’

‘Danger to wife and sons’—i.e., incapability of maintaining them.

This shows that Handicrafts are very low occupations, since even for the Śūdra these have been permitted only when all other property is lost and the man is in dire distress.—(99)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

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

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 10.99-100)

Gautama (10.57, 60).—‘From the higher castes, he shall seek to obtain his livelihood; and he may live by the mechanical arts.’

Viṣṇu (2.14).—‘For the Śūdra, all branches of art.’

Yājñavalkya (1.120).—‘For the Śūdra, attending upon the twice-born has been ordained; being unable to maintain himself by that, he shall become a trader; or he shall live by the various arts, always doing what is good for the twice-born.’

[See under 121-122 below.]