Chapter 18 - Verse 44

कृषिगोरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम् ।
परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम् ॥ ४४ ॥

kṛṣigorakṣyavāṇijyaṃ vaiśyakarma svabhāvajam .
paricaryātmakaṃ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāvajam .. 44 ..


Ploughing, cattle-rearing, and trade are the duties of the Vaisyas, born of nature. And of the nature of service is the duty of the Śūdra, born of nature.
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Devotion to one’s own duty leads to perfection.

These duties, respectively enjoined on the several castes, lead, when rightly performed, to Svarga as their natural result, as stated in the smritis, such as the following : “Men of several castes and orders, each devoted to his respective duties, reap the fruits of their actions after death, and then by the residual (karma) attain to births in superior countries, castes and families, possessed of comparatively superior dharma, span of life, learning, conduct, wealth, happiness and intelligence.” (Āpastamba-Dharmasūtra, 2-2·2, 3). And in the Purana also are specified the different results and worlds which the several castes and orders attain. But, from the operation of a new cause * the following result accrues.

That is. when the same duties are performed, not for the sake of their immediate results, but for the sake of Moksha.—A.