18.42 The work of the priestly Krishna speaks

शमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च
ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं ब्रह्मकर्म स्वभावजम्

śhamo damas tapaḥ śhauchaṁ kṣhāntir ārjavam eva cha
jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam

Calm, restraint, austerity, purity, patience, integrity, knowledge, insight and faith are the work born of the nature of the priestly.

Explanation

The work of the priestly.

Calm, restraint, austerity, purity, patience, integrity, knowledge, insight, faith.

None of these is an occupation. What is being described is a set of dispositions, which is consistent with 18.41's nature and inconsistent with any account based on ancestry.

Word by word

śhamaḥ: tranquility
damaḥ: restraint
tapaḥ: austerity
śhaucham: purity
kṣhāntiḥ: patience
ārjavam: integrity
eva: certainly
cha: and
jñānam: knowledge
vijñānam: wisdom
āstikyam: belief in a hereafter
brahma: of the priestly class
karma: work
svabhāva-jam: born of one’s intrinsic qualities