ŚB 11.17.18
Devanagari
आस्तिक्यं दाननिष्ठा च अदम्भो ब्रह्मसेवनम् ।
अतुष्टिरर्थोपचयैर्वैश्यप्रकृतयस्त्विमा: ॥ १८ ॥
अतुष्टिरर्थोपचयैर्वैश्यप्रकृतयस्त्विमा: ॥ १८ ॥
Verse text
āstikyaṁ dāna-niṣṭhā ca
adambho brahma-sevanam
atuṣṭir arthopacayair
vaiśya-prakṛtayas tv imāḥ
adambho brahma-sevanam
atuṣṭir arthopacayair
vaiśya-prakṛtayas tv imāḥ
Synonyms
āstikyam — faith in Vedic civilization; dāna-niṣṭhā — dedicated to charity; ca — also; adambhaḥ — being without hypocrisy; brahma-sevanam — service to the brāhmaṇas; atuṣṭiḥ — remaining dissatisfied; artha — of money; upacayaiḥ — by the accumulation; vaiśya — of the vaiśyas; prakṛtayaḥ — the natural qualities; tu — indeed; imāḥ — these.
Translation
Faith in Vedic civilization, dedication to charity, freedom from hypocrisy, service to the brāhmaṇas and perpetually desiring to accumulate more money are the natural qualities of the vaiśyas.
Purport
Atuṣṭir arthopacayaiḥ indicates that a vaiśya is never satisfied with any amount of wealth and always wants to accumulate more. On the other hand, he is dāna-niṣṭha, or dedicated to charitable work; brahmasevī, always engaged in assisting the brāhmaṇas; and adambha, free from hypocrisy. This is due to āstikyam, or complete faith in the Vedic way of life, and confidence that one will be rewarded or punished in the next life for one’s present activities. The fervent desire of the vaiśyas to accumulate wealth is not the same as ordinary material greed, because it is purified and tempered by the superior qualities mentioned in this verse.