Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.17.47
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutyEmergency Livelihood Has Boundaries
“If a brāhmaṇa cannot support himself through his regular duties and is thus suffering, he may adopt the occupation of a merchant and overcome his destitute condition by buying and selling material things. If he continues to suffer extreme poverty even as a merchant, then he may adopt the occupation of a kṣatriya, taking sword in hand. But he cannot in any circumstances become like a dog, accepting an ordinary master.”
What the purport teaches
- A brāhmaṇa suffering intolerable poverty may support himself by buying and selling material things.
- If this does not relieve his distress, he may adopt a kṣatriya’s occupation. The Lord recommends trade first because it is not violent.
- Even in distress, a brāhmaṇa may not adopt a śūdra’s position by accepting an ordinary master or working in a company.
Try this today
When facing a difficulty today, pause to consider the less harmful option before acting.
Ask yourself
What does the preference for nonviolent work teach me about responding to hardship?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.