Shloka 21

Varṇāśrama-ācāra and Vikarma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry on Safe Dharmas (शिवधर्मप्रश्नः)

Devanagari script

न चरत्यधिकारेण सेवेत द्विषतो न च । एषो5<श्रमपदस्तात ब्रह्मुचारिण इष्यते,अपने अधिकारका प्रदर्शन करते हुए व्यवहार न करे; द्वेष रखनेवालोंका सड़ न करे। वत्स युधिष्ठिर! ब्रह्मचारीके लिये यही आश्रम-धर्म अभीष्ट है

Transliteration

na caraty adhikāreṇa seveta dviṣato na ca | eṣo ’śramapadas tāta brahmacāriṇa iṣyate ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Ein Brahmacārin soll sich nicht so verhalten, als stelle er Anspruch oder Autorität zur Schau, und er soll weder Umgang noch Dienst bei denen suchen, die Hass im Herzen tragen. Liebes Kind, Yudhiṣṭhira—dies ist die anerkannte Zucht der Lebensstufe des Schülers.“

Word by Word

नnot

चरतिacts / behaves

अधिकारेणby/with authority; by (one's) entitlement

सेवेतshould serve / should associate

द्विषतःthose who hate; enemies

नnot

चand

एषःthis

आश्रमपदःthe station/duty of an āśrama

तातdear one / son (term of address)

ब्रह्मचारिणःof a brahmacārin (celibate student)

इष्यतेis held to be / is approved

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Yudhiṣṭhira

brahmacārin (student in the brahmacarya āśrama)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The brahmacārin’s dharma is humility and restraint: do not parade one’s status or rights, and avoid associating with those driven by hatred, since such company corrupts conduct and learning.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. Here he specifies a practical rule for the brahmacarya āśrama—how a student should behave socially and ethically.