Shloka 5

Devanagari script

नागभायोवाच शिष्याणां गुरुशुश्रूषा विप्राणां वेदधारणम्‌ । भृत्यानां स्वामिवचनं राज्ञो लोकानुपालनम्‌,नागपत्नीने कहा--शिष्योंका धर्म है गुरुकी सेवा करना, ब्राह्मणोंका धर्म है वेदोंको धारण करना, सेवकोंका धर्म है स्वामीकी आज्ञाका पालन तथा राजाका धर्म है प्रजावर्गका सतत संरक्षण

Transliteration

nāgabhāryovāca—śiṣyāṇāṁ guruśuśrūṣā viprāṇāṁ vedadhāraṇam | bhṛtyānāṁ svāmivacanaṁ rājño lokānupālanam ||

Translation

Die Nāga-Gattin sprach: „Für Schüler besteht die Dharma im hingebungsvollen Dienst am Lehrer; für Brahmanen im Bewahren und Tragen der Veden; für Diener im Ausführen des Wortes des Herrn; und für einen König im unablässigen Schutz und Wohlergehen des Volkes.“

Word by Word

नागभायO Nāgabhā (name of the speaker addressed)

उवाचsaid

शिष्याणाम्of students/disciples

गुरुशुश्रूषाservice to the teacher

विप्राणाम्of brahmins

वेदधारणम्holding/maintaining the Veda (Vedic learning)

भृत्यानाम्of servants/retainers

स्वामिवचनम्the master's word/command

राज्ञःof the king

लोकानुपालनम्protection/governance of the people

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nāgabhāryā (Nāga wife)

śiṣya (student/disciple)

guru (teacher)

vipra (brahmin)

Veda

bhṛtya (servant/retainer)

svāmin (master)

rājan (king)

loka (people/subjects)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines role-based dharma: disciples serve and learn from the teacher, brahmins preserve the Vedas, servants obey rightful commands, and kings protect and sustain the people—each station is measured by faithful performance of its responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within Bhīṣma’s discourse in the Śānti Parva, a Nāga wife is quoted as articulating a concise ethical taxonomy of duties, using familiar social roles to illustrate how dharma operates through responsibility and protection rather than mere status.