viprasevaiva śūdrasya viśiṣṭaṃ karma kīrtyate |
yadato'nyad hi kurute tad bhavatyasya niṣphalam – 10:123
Serving scholars alone is declared to be pre-eminent activity for an unskilled, uneducated person, for any occupation other than serving scholars will bring him no lasting reward.
prakalpyā tasya tairvṛttiḥ svakuṭumbād yathārhataḥ |
śaktiṃ cāvekṣya dākṣyaṃ ca bhṛtyānāṃ ca parigraham – 10:124
They [his upper-class employers] should allocate a suitable, appropriate livelihood for him [their unskilled employee] out of their own family resources, taking into account his ability, his skill, and the number of his dependents. [Dependents: wife and children.]
yathā yathā hi sadvṛttamātiṣṭhatyanasūyakaḥ |
tathā tathaimaṃ cāmuṃ ca lokaṃ prāpnotyaninditaḥ – 10:128
The more an unskilled person, without resentment, emulates the behavior of virtuous people, the less people find fault with him, and the faster he becomes successful in this current life, preparing for success in the next life.
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