Shloka 10
Ādi-parva, Adhyāya 73: Devayānī–Śarmiṣṭhā Dispute, Confinement in the Well, and Yayāti’s Rescue
प्रशस्तां श्वतुर: पूर्वान् ब्राह्मणस्योपधारय । षडानुपूर्व्या क्षत्रस्य विद्धि धर्म्याननिन्दिते,पूर्वकथित जो चार विवाह--ब्राह्म, दैव, आर्ष तथा प्राजापात्य हैं, उन्हें ब्राह्मणके लिये उत्तम समझो। अनिन्दिते! ब्राह्मसे लेकर गान्धर्वतक क्रमशः छः: विवाह क्षत्रियके लिये धर्मानुकूल जानो
praśastāṁ śveturaḥ pūrvān brāhmaṇasyopadhāraya | ṣaḍānupūrvyā kṣatrasya viddhi dharmyān anindite ||
Duṣyanta dit : « Tiens pour excellentes, pour un brāhmaṇa, les formes antérieures, louées et approuvées. Et toi, irréprochable, sache que pour un kṣatriya il est six formes, selon l’ordre prescrit, qui sont conformes au dharma. »
दुष्यन्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse distinguishes dharmically approved marriage forms by varṇa: the earlier praised forms are best for brāhmaṇas, while kṣatriyas are said to have six sequentially acceptable forms, emphasizing that social duties and permissions are framed through dharma.
Duṣyanta addresses a blameless woman and clarifies which marriage forms are considered proper for brāhmaṇas and for kṣatriyas, referring back to forms already enumerated earlier in the dialogue.