Text 20] The Perfect Society: Four Social Classes 41
rtam ufichasilarn proktam
amrtam yad aydcitam
mrtam tu nitya-ydcna syat
pramrtam karsanam smrtam
satydnrtam ca vanijyam
Sva-vurttir nica-sevanam
varjayet tam sada vipro
rdjanyas 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
vd—or by the profession of pramrta; satyanrtabhyadm api—even by the
profession of satydnrta; va—or; na—never; Sva-vrttya—by the profes-
sion of the dogs; kadacana—at any time; rtam—rta; usichasilam—the
livelihood of collecting grains left in the field or marketplace; proktam—
it is said; amrtam—the profession of amrta; yat—which; aydcitam—
obtained without begging from anyone else; mrtam—the profession of
mrta; tu—but; nitya-ydcid—begging grains every day from the far-
mers; sydt—should be; pramrtam—the pramrta means of livelihood;
karsanam—tilling the field; smrtam—it is so remembered;
satyanrtam—the occupation of satydnrta; ca—and; vdnijyam—trade;
Sva-vrttih—the occupation of the dogs; nica-sevanam—the service of
low persons (the vaisyas and Siidras); varjayet—should give up; tam—
that (the profession of the dogs);sadé —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.
TRANSLATION
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 ufchasila, collecting grains from the field, is called
