Chapter XVIII · Śloka 44
कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम् |
परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम् ||
परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम् ||
kṛṣi-gaurakṣya-vāṇijyaṃ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam |
paricaryātmakaṃ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāva-jam ||
paricaryātmakaṃ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāva-jam ||
Agriculture, cattle-tending, and trade are the duties of a vaiśya, born of his own nature; and service is the duty of a śūdra, also born of his own nature.
The vaiśya sustains the material life of the community through productivity and commerce; the śūdra through direct service. Both are grounded in svabhāva — natural aptitude — and both are honorable when performed with the same spirit of dedication as any other dharma.