Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 11.17.49
Who is speaking and story frame
शूद्रवृत्तिं भजेद् वैश्य: शूद्र: कारुकटक्रियाम् ।
कृच्छ्रान्मुक्तो न गर्ह्येण वृत्तिं लिप्सेत कर्मणा ॥ ४९ ॥
śūdra-vṛttiṁ bhajed vaiśyaḥ
śūdraḥ kāru-kaṭa-kriyām
kṛcchrān mukto na garhyeṇa
vṛttiṁ lipseta karmaṇā
A vaiśya, or mercantile man, who cannot maintain himself may adopt the occupation of a śūdra, and a śūdra who cannot find a master can engage in simple activities like making baskets and mats of straw. However, all members of society who have adopted inferior occupations in emergency situations must give up those substitute occupations when the difficulties have passed.
Read this verse on Vedabase.ioThis verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.
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.