Shloka 60

Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)

Devanagari script

इति श्रीमहाभारते शान्तिपर्वणि राजधर्मानुशासनपर्वणि वर्णाश्रमधर्मकथने षष्टितमो5 ध्याय:,इस प्रकार श्रीमह्ाा भारत शान्तिपर्वके अन्तर्गत राजधर्मानुशासनपर्वमें वर्णाश्रमधर्मका वर्णनविषयक साठवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

iti śrīmahābhārate śāntiparvaṇi rājadharmānuśāsanaparvaṇi varṇāśramadharmakathane ṣaṣṭitamo 'dhyāyaḥ |

Translation

Thus, in the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the Śānti Parva—specifically in the section on the instruction of royal duty—ends the sixtieth chapter, whose subject is the exposition of the duties of the social orders and stages of life (varṇa and āśrama).

Word by Word

इतिthus; so

श्रीauspicious; venerable (honorific)

महाभारतेin the Mahabharata

शान्तिपर्वणिin the Shanti Parva

राजधर्मानुशासनपर्वणिin the Parva (section) of instruction on the king's duties

वर्णाश्रमधर्मकथनेin the narration/discussion of the duties of varnas and ashramas

षष्टितमःsixtieth

अध्यायःchapter

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī Mahābhārata

Śānti Parva

Rājadharmānuśāsana Parva

Varṇāśrama-dharma

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

This verse functions as a colophon marking the completion of a chapter devoted to varṇāśrama-dharma within the broader instruction on rājadharma. The ethical emphasis is that governance and social order are framed through dharma, articulated via duties appropriate to social roles (varṇa) and life-stages (āśrama).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma’s discourse to Yudhiṣṭhira continues in the Śānti Parva. Here the text signals that the chapter on explaining varṇa- and āśrama-based duties has concluded, transitioning to the next unit of instruction.