Shloka 29
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
तेषां शुश्रूषणाच्चैव महत् सुखमवाप्रुयात् । शूद्र एतान् परिचरेत् त्रीन् वर्णाननुपूर्वश:,वह उन तीनों वर्णोकी सेवासे ही महान् सुखका भागी हो सकता है। अतः शूद्र इन तीनों वर्णोंकी क्रमश: सेवा करे
teṣāṁ śuśrūṣaṇāc caiva mahat sukham avāpnuyāt | śūdra etān paricaret trīn varṇān anupūrvaśaḥ ||
قال بهيشما: «وبالملازمة المخلصة لخدمتهم ينال المرء خيرًا عظيمًا. لذلك ينبغي للشودر أن يخدم هذه الفَرْنات الثلاث—البراهمة، والكشترية، والفيشية—على الترتيب اللائق».
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that devoted service (śuśrūṣā) to the three higher varnas is presented as the Shudra’s prescribed duty, and that such service is said to yield great welfare and happiness.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma is advising Yudhishthira about duties associated with social orders (varna-dharma), specifically describing the Shudra’s role as service to Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas in proper order.