Shloka : 140

यथाशक्त्युद्यम: कार्यो निजवर्णाश्रमोचित: ।

मुष्कच्छेदो न कर्तव्यो वृषस्य कृषिवृत्तिभि: ॥ 140 ॥

અને વળી પોતાના વર્ણાશ્રમને ઘટિત એવો જે ઉદ્યમ, તે પોતાના સાર્મથ્ય પ્રમાણે કરવો. અને કૃષિવૃત્તિવાળા જે ગૃહસ્થ સત્સંગી તેમણે બળદિયાના વૃષણનો ઉચ્છેદ ન કરવો. ॥ 140 ॥

And moreover, a profession suitable for one's caste and category should be followed. And the Grihasth devotee, who follows agriculture as a profession, should not castrate their bullocks. || 140 ||

Commentary

The devotees of Shri Hari should follow their 'profession' i.e. to earn money as per one's aptitude, appropriate for their caste i.e. Brahmin etc. and category i.e. here only Grihasthashram should be considered, as per one's capacity. As per one's capacity means to follow one's profession as per one's (financial) ability. One should not compete with that of more or less able person than oneself. Sitting idle and not earning money can cause great troubles. There is a possibility of getting humiliated in society and being insulted by people and it can lead to a misfortune like committing suiside out of confusion. The learned people having balanced outlook and rational approach, do not desire for the rare objects which could not be attained, do not grieve over a lost object and do not get confused during emergency. Moreover, as a person earns money, he becomes greedy for more. Therefore, by renouncing the greed, one should try to achieve whatever is appropriate. Here, the term 'Udhyam' does not indicate the efforts made to achieve only the worldly, material happiness, but one should try for the spiritual betterment also, which could be beneficial in the next world after leaving the body.

During daytime one should remain busy in such a way that one can sleep peacefully during night. And one should be able to meditate, worship without any distractions. One should work during the eight months in such a way that during the four months of monsoon one can strive for the spiritual betterment through meditation, worship and 'Satsang' etc. Moreover, during the young age one should work in such a way that during old age one could live happily. And when alive, one should work in such a way that after death one can attain the bliss i.e. the unity with the divine form of Supreme God.

And devotees of Shri Hari, who follow agriculture as a profession, should not castrate their bull. Because a person who castrates a bull or lets others do it, his progeny gets destroyed. A bullock which is disabled i.e. limp or lame not strong enough, tired, sick, hungry, having a weak body, old or blind should not be used for the purpose of agriculture. But a bullock which is strong, healthy, well-fed, not castrated, not impotent, having healthy body parts, full of youthful energy should be used for the purpose of agriculture.