Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Description of the Varṇāśrama System
वैश्यवृत्त्या तु राजन्यो जीवेन्मृगययापदि । चरेद् वा विप्ररूपेण न श्ववृत्त्या कथञ्चन ॥ ४८ ॥
Transliteration
vaiśya-vṛttyā tu rājanyo jīven mṛgayayāpadi cared vā vipra-rūpeṇa na śva-vṛttyā kathañcana
Synonyms (Word-for-Word)
vaiśya — of the mercantile class; vṛttyā — by the occupation; tu — indeed; rājanyaḥ — a king; jīvet — may maintain himself; mṛgayayā — by hunting; āpadi — in an emergency or disastrous situation; caret — may act; vā — or; vipra-rūpeṇa — in the form of a brāhmaṇa; na — never; śva — of the dog; vṛttyā — by the profession; kathañcana — in any circumstance.
Translation
“A king or other member of the royal order who cannot maintain himself by his normal occupation may act as a vaiśya, may live by hunting or may act as a brāhmaṇa by teaching others Vedic knowledge. But he may not under any circumstances adopt the profession of a śūdra.”