वैश्यवृत्त्या तु राजन्यो जीवेन्मृगययापदि । चरेद् वा विप्ररूपेण न श्ववृत्त्या कथञ्चन ॥ ४८ ॥
vaiśya-vṛttyā tu rājanyo jīven mṛgayayāpadi cared vā vipra-rūpeṇa na śva-vṛttyā kathañcana
- 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
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.