🏪 Vaishya Dharma
वैश्य धर्म — The Dharmic Duties of the Merchant Class
Vaishya DharmaManu Smriti6 Duties
Vaishya Dharma refers to the specific Dharmic duties of the Vaishya Varna — the mercantile and agricultural class in the traditional Varna system. These duties were codified in Manu Smriti 9.326 and Yajnavalkya Smriti 1.119.
The 6 Duties of Vaishya Dharma
Source: Manu Smriti 9.326 · Yajnavalkya Smriti 1.119
| # | Duty | Sanskrit | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Krishi | कृषि | Food production; considered most fundamental |
| 2 | Go-raksha | गो-रक्षा | Dairy, plowing, draught animals; tied to Gau-dana |
| 3 | Vanijya | वाणिज्य | Buying, selling, exchange; regulated in Arthashastra |
| 4 | Kusida | कुसीद | Within Dharmic interest rate limits (Arthashastra) |
| 5 | Akaraakarma | आकराकर्म | Extraction of resources from the earth |
| 6 | Shilpa | शिल्प | Skilled manufacturing and artisanship |
Interest Rate Regulation (Kusida)
Arthashastra 3.11: Maximum interest rates vary by commodity/risk — 15% per annum for commercial loans. Prohibited: charging interest on Dana (gift) or compounding beyond limits.
Dharmic Limits on All 6 Duties
- • No adharmic profit (theft, fraud, price manipulation)
- • Dana (charitable giving) of profits is obligatory
- • Arthashastra Book II–III regulates prices, weights, measures