Shloka 5
Gārhasthya-Śreṣṭhatā and Kṣatriya-Daṇḍadhāraṇa
Householder Primacy and the Royal Duty of Punishment
वयांसि पशवश्चैव भूतानि च जनाधिप । गृहस्थैरेव धार्यन्ते तस्माच्छेष्ठो गृहाअश्रमी,जनेश्वर! पशु, पक्षी तथा अन्य प्राणी भी गृहस्थोंसे ही पालित होते हैं; अतः गृहस्थ ही सबसे श्रेष्ठ है
vayāṁsi paśavaś caiva bhūtāni ca janādhipa | gṛhasthair eva dhāryante tasmāc chreṣṭho gṛhāśramī ||
Vyāsa said: “O lord of men, birds, cattle, and indeed living beings in general are sustained by householders alone. Therefore, the householder—who bears the burden of supporting others—is the foremost among those who live in the āśramas.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the gṛhastha (householder) is foremost because society’s material and charitable support—food, shelter, gifts, and service—ultimately depends on householders, sustaining even animals and birds.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Vyāsa addresses a king and argues for the primacy of the householder stage, emphasizing its role as the foundation that maintains other beings and the other āśramas.