ऋतामृताभ्यां जीवेत मृतेन प्रमृतेन वा । सत्यानृताभ्यामपि वा न श्ववृत्त्या कदाचन ॥ १८ ॥ ऋतमुञ्छशिलं प्रोक्तममृतं यदयाचितम् । मृतं तु नित्ययाच्ञा स्यात्प्रमृतं कर्षणं स्मृतम् ॥ १९ ॥ सत्यानृतं च वाणिज्यं श्ववृत्तिर्नीचसेवनम् । वर्जयेत्तां सदा विप्रो राजन्यश्च जुगुप्सिताम् । सर्ववेदमयो विप्र: सर्वदेवमयो नृप: ॥ २० ॥
rtamrtabhyam jiveta mrtena pramrtena va satyanrtabhyam api va na sva-vrttya kadacana rtam unchasilam proktam amrtam yad ayacitam mrtam tu nitya-yacna syat pramrtam karsanam smrtam satyanrtam ca vanijyam sva-vrttir nica-sevanam varjayet tam sada vipro rajanyas ca jugupsitam sarva-vedamayo viprah sarva-devamayo nrpah
- rta-amrtabhyam
- of the means of livelihood known as rta and amrta
- jiveta
- one may live
- mrtena
- by the profession of mrta
- pramrtena va
- or by the profession of pramrta
- satyanrtabhyam api
- even by the profession of satyanrta
- va
- or
- na
- never
- sva-vrttya
- by the profession of the dogs
- kadacana
- at any time
- rtam
- rta
- unchasilam
- the livelihood of collecting grains left in the field or marketplace
- proktam
- it is said
- amrtam
- the profession of amrta
- yat
- which
- ayacitam
- obtained without begging from anyone else
- mrtam
- the profession of mrta
- tu
- but
- nitya-yacna
- begging grains every day from the farmers
- syat
- should be
- pramrtam
- the pramrta means of livelihood
- karsanam
- tilling the field
- smrtam
- it is so remembered
- satyanrtam
- the occupation of satyanrta
- ca
- and
- vanijyam
- trade
- sva-vrttih
- the occupation of the dogs
- nica-sevanam
- the service of low persons (the vaisyas and sudras)
- varjayet
- should give up
- tam
- that (the profession of the dogs)
- sada
- always
- viprah
- the brahmana
- rajanyah ca
- and the ksatriya
- jugupsitam
- very abominable
- sarva-veda-mayah
- learned in all the Vedic understandings
- viprah
- the brahmana
- sarva-deva-mayah
- the embodiment of all the demigods
- nrpah
- the ksatriya or king
In time of emergency, one may accept any of the various types of professions known as rta, amrta, mrta, pramrta and satyanrta, but one should not at any time accept the profession of a dog. The profession of unchasila, collecting grains from the field, is called rta. Collecting without begging is called amrta, begging grains is called mrta, tilling the ground is called pramrta, and trade is called satyanrta. Engaging in the service of low-grade persons, however, is called sva-vrtti, the profession of the dogs. Specifically, brahmanas and ksatriyas should not engage in the low and abominable service of sudras. Brahmanas should be well acquainted with all the Vedic knowledge, and ksatriyas should be well acquainted with the worship of demigods.