Shloka 1

Vasiṣṭha–Karāla-Janaka Saṃvāda: Aśuddha-Sevana, Guṇa-Dr̥ṣṭi, and Sāṃkhya–Yoga Ekārthatā

Mahābhārata 12.293

Devanagari script

अपन क्ाता बछ। आर: 2 त्रिनवर्त्याधेकद्विशततमो< ध्याय: पराशरगीता--शूद्रके लिये सेवावृत्तिकी प्रधानता

Transliteration

parāśara uvāca | vṛttiḥ sakāśād varṇebhyas tribhyo hīnasya śobhanā | prītyopanītā nirdiṣṭā dharmiṣṭhān kurute sadā ||

Translation

Dijo Parāśara: «Oh Rey, para quien está por debajo de las tres varṇas (superiores), el sustento más apropiado es el servicio rendido a ellas. Cuando este servicio prescrito se cumple con buena voluntad y devoción, hace que la persona permanezca siempre firme en el dharma».

Word by Word

• वृत्तिः: livelihood; occupation
• वृत्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सकाशात्: from; from the presence of
• सकाशात्: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकाश

• वर्णेभ्यः: from the varnas (social orders)
• वर्णेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Plural

• त्रिभ्यः: from three
• त्रिभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Plural

• हीनस्य: of one who is deprived/less (i.e., the one lacking the three)
• हीनस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• शोभना: excellent; auspicious
• शोभना: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभन
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रीत्या: with affection; gladly
• प्रीत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• उपनीता: undertaken; adopted; brought into practice
• उपनीता: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-नी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• निर्दिष्टा: prescribed; enjoined
• निर्दिष्टा: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-दिश्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• धर्मिष्ठान्: righteous; devoted to dharma
• धर्मिष्ठान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कुरुते: makes; renders
• कुरुते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada, Third, Singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

Speaker

पराशर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• the King (rājan, implied addressee)
• the three varṇas (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya)
• śūdra (implied by 'hīna' relative to the three)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that a prescribed livelihood aligned with one’s social duty—here, service as a vocation—when performed willingly and with goodwill, becomes a means of cultivating steadiness in dharma rather than merely a way to survive.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, the sage Parāśara addresses a king and begins outlining duties and proper livelihoods by varṇa, emphasizing the ethical value of performing one’s assigned work with sincere intention.