Shloka 26
Bhīṣmadeva’s Passing Away in the Presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa
पुरुषस्वभावविहितान् यथावर्णं यथाश्रमम् । वैराग्यरागोपाधिभ्यामाम्नातोभयलक्षणान् ॥ २६ ॥
puruṣa-sva-bhāva-vihitān yathā-varṇaṁ yathāśramam vairāgya-rāgopādhibhyām āmnātobhaya-lakṣaṇān
যুধিষ্ঠিরের প্রশ্নে ভীষ্মদেব প্রথমে ব্যক্তির স্বভাব-যোগ্যতা অনুসারে বর্ণ ও আশ্রমের বিভাগ নির্ণয় করলেন; তারপর তিনি দ্বিবিধভাবে—বৈরাগ্যে নিবৃত্তি ও রাগে প্রবৃত্তি—উভয়ের লক্ষণ ক্রমান্বয়ে ব্যাখ্যা করলেন।
The conception of four castes and four orders of life, as planned by the Lord Himself ( Bg. 4.13 ), is to accelerate transcendental qualities of the individual person so that he may gradually realize his spiritual identity and thus act accordingly to get free from material bondage, or conditional life. In almost all the Purāṇas the subject matter is described in the same spirit, and so also in the Mahābhārata it is more elaborately described by Bhīṣmadeva in the Śānti-parva, beginning from the Sixtieth Chapter.
FAQs
This verse states that prescribed duties arise from one’s nature and are performed according to varṇa (social order) and āśrama (life stage), as part of the revealed dharma taught by tradition.
Because King Yudhiṣṭhira needed guidance for ruling and personal spiritual progress; Bhīṣma therefore outlined both the engaged path (with duties) and the renounced path (with detachment), along with their defining traits.
Align your responsibilities with your real capacities and role in life, perform duty conscientiously, and gradually cultivate detachment—so action becomes purifying rather than binding.