Shloka 2

अध्याय २९४ — योगलक्षणम् तथा सांख्यपरिसंख्यानम्

Yoga Definition and Sāṃkhya Enumeration

Devanagari script

नित्यं त्रयाणां वर्णानां शुश्रूषु: शूद्र उच्यते,शूद्रको तीनों वर्णोंका नित्य सेवक बताया जाता है। यदि ब्राह्मण जीविकाके अभावमें क्षत्रिय अथवा वैश्यके धर्मसे जीवन-निर्वाह करे तो वह पतित नहीं होता है; किंतु जब वह शूद्रके धर्मको अपनाता है, तब तत्काल पतित हो जाता है

Transliteration

nityaṁ trayāṇāṁ varṇānāṁ śuśrūṣuḥ śūdra ucyate

Translation

Parāśara said: “He is called a Śūdra who is constantly devoted to service of the three (higher) varṇas.” In this teaching on social duty and livelihood, the point is framed as a hierarchy of dharmas: a Brāhmaṇa, when compelled by lack of livelihood, may sustain himself by the duties of a Kṣatriya or a Vaiśya without thereby falling; but if he adopts the Śūdra’s duty as his own, he is said to fall immediately.

Word by Word

नित्यम्always, constantly

त्रयाणाम्of three

वर्णानाम्of the classes (varnas)

शुश्रूषुःone who serves (an attendant)

शूद्रःa Shudra

उच्यतेis said/called

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Parāśara

Śūdra

Brāhmaṇa

Kṣatriya

Vaiśya

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines the Śūdra’s role as continual service to the three higher varṇas, and (in the surrounding explanation) uses this to argue that a Brāhmaṇa’s ethical ‘fall’ is linked not merely to earning a living, but to adopting a different varṇa’s defining duty—especially service—as one’s own dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, Parāśara is instructing on dharma and social order. This verse occurs within a discussion of varṇa-based duties and permissible means of livelihood under necessity, distinguishing between temporary livelihood strategies and a full adoption of another varṇa’s prescribed role.