Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

शूद्रेण तु न हातव्यो भर्ता कस्याज्चिदापदि । अतिरेकेण भर्तव्यो भर्ता द्रव्यपरिक्षये,यदि स्वामी संतानहीन हो तो सेवा करनेवाले शूद्रको ही उसके लिये पिण्डदान करना चाहिये। यदि स्वामी बूढ़ा या दुर्बल हो तो उसका सब प्रकारसे भरण-पोषण करना चाहिये। किसी आप त्तिमें भी शूद्रकों अपने स्वामीका परित्याग नहीं करना चाहिये। यदि स्वामीके धनका नाश हो जाय तो शूद्रको अपने कुट॒म्बके पालनसे बचे हुए धनके द्वारा उसका भरण- पोषण करना चाहिये

Transliteration

śūdreṇa tu na hātavyo bhartā kasyācid āpadi | atirekeṇa bhartavyo bhartā dravya-parikṣaye ||

Translation

Dijo Bhīṣma: «Ni aun en la adversidad debe el Śūdra abandonar o dañar a su amo. Antes bien, cuando las circunstancias lo exijan—sobre todo si la riqueza del amo se ha agotado—debe sostenerlo y mantenerlo con especial cuidado».

Word by Word

शूद्रेणby a Shudra

तुbut/indeed

नnot

हातव्यःis not to be abandoned

भर्ताthe master/lord (protector)

कस्यचित्of anyone

आपदिin calamity/distress

अतिरेकेणwith extra effort/abundantly

भर्तव्यःis to be maintained/supported

भर्ताthe master

द्रव्यपरिक्षयेwhen wealth is exhausted

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Śūdra

bhartā (master/protector)

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 verse teaches steadfast duty: a servant (here, a Śūdra) should not forsake his master in crisis, and should instead provide heightened support, especially when the master’s resources are depleted.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s dharma-instruction setting, Bhīṣma is laying down norms of conduct and social obligations, specifying how service should intensify when the master faces adversity or loss of wealth.