Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 48


Sanskrit:

वैश्यवृत्त्या तु राजन्यो जीवेन्मृगययापदि ।चरेद् वा विप्ररूपेण न श्ववृत्त्या कथञ्चन ॥ ४८ ॥

ITRANS:

vaiśya-vṛttyā tu rājanyojīven mṛgayayāpadicared vā vipra-rūpeṇana śva-vṛttyā kathañcana

Translation:

A king or other member of the royal order who cannot maintain himself by his normal occupation may act as a vaiśya, may live by hunting or may act as a brāhmaṇa by teaching others Vedic knowledge. But he may not under any circumstances adopt the profession of a śūdra.

Purport: