Shloka 11

Devanagari script

अध्यापयेदधीयीत याजयेत यजेत वा । न वृथा प्रतिगृह्लीयान्न च दद्यात्‌ कथंचन,ब्राह्मगको अध्ययन-अध्यापन, यजन-याजन तथा दान और प्रतिग्रह--इन छ: कर्मोंका आश्रय लेना चाहिये; परंतु उसे किसी तरह न तो अनुचित प्रतिग्रह स्वीकार करना चाहिये, न व्यर्थ दान ही देना चाहिये

Transliteration

adhyāpayed adhīyīta yājayet yajeta vā | na vṛthā pratigṛhṇīyān na ca dadyāt kathaṃcana ||

Translation

Vyāsa sprach: „Ein Brāhmaṇa soll sich durch die sechs anerkannten Pflichten erhalten—studieren und lehren, opfern und für andere als Opferpriester wirken, geben und Gaben annehmen. Doch darf er niemals Geschenke auf ungehörige Weise oder ohne Anlass annehmen, und er soll Almosen niemals verschwenderisch oder wahllos geben.“

Word by Word

अध्यापयेत्should teach (make others study)

अधीयीतshould study

याजयेत्should cause (others) to sacrifice / officiate

यजेतshould sacrifice

वाor

नnot

वृथाin vain / improperly / without purpose

प्रतिगृह्लीयात्should accept/receive (as a gift)

नnor / not

चand

दद्यात्should give

कथंचनin any way / at all (emphatic)

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

brāhmaṇa (as a social-religious role)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines the legitimate means of livelihood and conduct for a brāhmaṇa—study/teaching and sacrifice/officiating, along with giving/receiving gifts—while placing strict ethical limits: do not accept improper gifts, and do not give charity wastefully or indiscriminately.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s dharma instruction, Vyāsa lays down normative rules of right conduct, focusing here on regulated economic and ritual behavior—how one should teach, perform rites, and handle gifts so that livelihood remains aligned with dharma.