Vaishya Dharma (वैश्यधर्मः)
वैश्यः ॥ Vaishya
पशूनां रक्षणं दानं इज्याध्ययनं एव च । वणिक्पथं कुसीदं च वैश्यस्य कृषिं एव च । । १.९० । ।[1]
paśūnāṁ rakṣaṇaṁ dānaṁ ijyādhyayanaṁ eva ca । vaṇikpathaṁ kusīdaṁ ca vaiśyasya kr̥ṣiṁ eva ca । । 1.90 । ।
Meaning: For the Vaishya, tending of cattle, giving of gifts, sacrificing and studying; as also trade, money-lending and cultivating of land (1.90).[2]
According to the Bhagavata Purana, the Vaishya is to maintain himself by agriculture (cattle-breeding) and trade, and should follow the Brahmanas.[1]
वैश्यस्तु वार्तावृत्तिश्च नित्यं ब्रह्मकुलानुगः । (Bh. Pu. Skanda 7, Adhyaya 11, Verse 15)[3]
vaiśyastu vārtāvr̥ttiśca nityaṁ brahmakulānugaḥ ।
And devotion to deities, teachers and Lord Vishnu, maintenance (and achievement) of the three objectives in life (viz. dharma, artha and kama), faith in Shastras, constant effort (in making money) and skill in transactions, form the characteristics of the Vaishyas.[1]
देवगुर्वच्युते भक्तिस्त्रिवर्गपरिपोषणम् । आस्तिक्यमुद्यमो नित्यं नैपुण्यं वैश्यलक्षणम् ॥ २३॥[3]
devagurvacyute bhaktistrivargaparipoṣaṇam । āstikyamudyamo nityaṁ naipuṇyaṁ vaiśyalakṣaṇam ॥ 23॥