Shloka 18.44
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम् |परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम् ||१८-४४||
kṛṣigaurakṣyavāṇijyaṃ vaiśyakarma svabhāvajam . paricaryātmakaṃ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāvajam ||18-44||
Meaning
Agriculture, protection of the cow and trade are the duty of a trader, again in accordance with his nature. The duty of a servant is to serve, and that too agrees with his nature.
Translation: Shri Purohit Swami, The Geeta: The Gospel of the Lord Shri Krishna (1935). Public domain.
Word-by-word meaning
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Explanation
Krishna completes the fourfold scheme. The work of the vaishya — cultivation, care of animals, and commerce — sustains the material life of society, while the shudra's natural calling is paricharya, dedicated service that supports the work of all.
Far from demeaning these roles, the Gita's vision dignifies every honest occupation as a valid path to perfection, as the coming verses will make explicit. Producing food and goods, nurturing, trading fairly, and serving wholeheartedly are all expressions of svabhava and all worthy of reverence. What matters is not the prestige of the task but the spirit of devotion and detachment with which one's natural work is offered.
In daily life
Every honest calling, from producing and trading to serving, is a worthy and dignified path.
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What does ‘वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम्’ mean in this verse?
Krishna on service, in other chapters
- Verse 3.24Order does not sustain itself — when the capable withdraw their effort, chaos fills the void, so faithful action is a duty to all.
- Verse 2.31Identify the duty that arises from your deepest nature and role, then perform it fully — hesitation at that threshold is a form of self-betrayal.
- Verse 4.34Wisdom is earned through humility, sincere questioning, and service — approach those who have truly realized the truth.
- Verse 5.25True freedom isn't withdrawal from the world — the liberated sage naturally delights in the welfare of all beings.
Swipe left for 18.45 · Wholehearted devotion to your own rightful work is itself a complete path to spiritual perfection.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 18.44
Who says Bhagavad Gita 18.44, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 18.44, in Chapter 18, Moksha Sannyas Yoga (Moksha Sannyas Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 18.44 mean?
Agriculture, protection of the cow and trade are the duty of a trader, again in accordance with his nature. The duty of a servant is to serve, and that too agrees with his nature. (Translation: Shri Purohit Swami, The Geeta: The Gospel of the Lord Shri Krishna (1935). Public domain.)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 18.44 for daily life?
Every honest calling, from producing and trading to serving, is a worthy and dignified path.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 18.44 mean?
कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं — agriculture, cattle-rearing and trade; वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम् — the duty of the Vaisya, born of nature; परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म — action consisting of service; शूद्रस्य अपि — of the Sudra also; स्वभावजम् — born of (his own) nature.
Where does verse 18.44 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 44 of 78 in Chapter 18, Moksha Sannyas Yoga. The next verse is 18.45.