Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.11.16
Manvantara· The Manus and right dutySimple Means of Maintaining Life
“As an alternative, a brāhmaṇa may also take to the vaiśya’s occupational duty of agriculture, cow protection, or trade. He may depend on that which he has received without begging, he may beg in the paddy field every day, he may collect paddy left in a field by its proprietor, or he may collect food grains left here and there in the shops of grain dealers. These are four means of livelihood that may also be adopted by brāhmaṇas. Among these four, each of them in succession is better than the one preceding it.”
What the purport teaches
- A brāhmaṇa may sometimes receive land and cows in charity. He may maintain himself by cultivating the land, protecting cows, and trading his surplus.
- Other means of livelihood include receiving without begging, begging paddy, collecting grains left in fields, and collecting grains left in dealers’ shops.
- Among these four means, each successive one is better than the preceding one. The purport especially recommends collecting leftover grains without begging.
Try this today
Prepare one meal using food you already have, taking care not to waste any grains.
Ask yourself
What can I learn from this preference for a simple livelihood?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.