Shloka 21
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
राजा दूसरा कर्म करे या न करे, प्रजाकी रक्षा करने-मात्रसे वह कृतकृत्य हो जाता है। उसमें इन्द्र देवता-सम्बन्धी बलकी प्रधानता होनेसे राजा 'ऐन्द्र' कहलाता है ।।
vaiśyasyāpi hi yo dharmas taṃ te vakṣyāmi śāśvatam | dānam adhyayanaṃ yajñaḥ śaucena dhana-saṃcayaḥ ||
Bhishma dit : Que le roi accomplisse d’autres œuvres ou s’en abstienne, il est quitte de son devoir par la seule protection de ses sujets. Et parce qu’en lui prédomine la force liée à Indra, le roi est appelé « Aindra ». À présent, je te dirai le devoir intemporel du vaishya : la charité, l’étude du savoir sacré, l’accomplissement du sacrifice, et l’accumulation de richesses par la pureté et des moyens honnêtes—telles sont les œuvres qui conviennent au vaishya.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma defines the enduring duties of the Vaishya: to give in charity, to pursue study, to perform yajña (sacrificial/ritual duty), and to accumulate wealth through śauca—purity, honesty, and clean means—so that prosperity supports social and religious order.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma after the war, Bhishma continues his systematic teaching to Yudhishthira by outlining varna-based responsibilities; here he turns specifically to the Vaishya’s role in sustaining society through learning, ritual support, generosity, and ethically acquired wealth.