Vaisya means

Expressions researched:
"Vaisya means" |"Vaisyas means"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Vaiśya means they should take care of the cows, cow protection, go-rakṣya.

Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975:

The first-class means most intelligent class of men. They should be trained up as brāhmaṇa. Śamo damaḥ satyaṁ śaucaṁ titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So this is the beginning of civilization, not that all śūdras as it is now in this age. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Kali-yuga, there is no training how to qualify a section of person to become first-class brāhmaṇa. That training is not there, neither kṣatriya, neither pure vaiśya class. We are proud of our business, vaiśya, but vaiśya means kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Vaiśya means they should take care of the cows, cow protection, go-rakṣya. Why go-rakṣya? Why not other animal rakṣya? Kṛṣṇa has not said "animal rakṣya" or "janawal-(?) rakṣya." Go-rakṣya. The cow is very, very important animal. If you want to advance your spiritual consciousness, then you must have sufficient milk and sufficient grains. That is civilization. Therefore it is the duty of the vaiśyas to produce food grain. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Annād. In the society, if you have got sufficient anna, both the animals and the man, they will be happy. These are the instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā, everything practical. If we follow Bhagavad-gītā from all angles of vision—social, political, economical, religious, cultural—you will be perfect. This is Bhagavad-gītā.