Shloka 12

Kṣātra-dharma as the Public Foundation of Dharma (क्षात्रधर्म-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

शुश्रूषाकृतकार्यस्य कृतसंतानकर्मण: । अभ्यनुज्ञातराजस्य शूद्रस्य जगतीपते

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | śuśrūṣākṛtakāryasya kṛtasantānakarmaṇaḥ | abhyanugyātarājasya śūdrasya jagatīpate pṛthvīnātha |

Translation

Bhishma dit : Ô seigneur du monde, ô protecteur de la terre—lorsqu’un Śūdra a accompli son devoir par un service dévoué, a assuré la lignée en engendrant des enfants, et qu’en pureté comme en bonne conduite il est devenu presque indiscernable des « deux-fois-nés » (ou qu’il s’applique avec zèle aux dix dharmas enseignés par Manu), alors—s’il a obtenu l’autorisation du roi—toutes les étapes de vie, sauf la renonciation, lui sont prescrites comme légitimes.

Word by Word

• शुश्रूषा-कृत-कार्यस्य: of one whose duty/work has been accomplished by service
• शुश्रूषा-कृत-कार्यस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषा + कृत + कार्य
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (genitive dependent on शूद्रस्य), Genitive, Singular

• कृत-संतान-कर्मणः: of one who has performed the act of begetting offspring
• कृत-संतान-कर्मणः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत + संतान + कर्मन्
• Form: Masculine (कर्मन्-stem), Genitive, Singular

• अभ्यनुज्ञात-राजस्य: of one permitted/authorized by the king
• अभ्यनुज्ञात-राजस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभ्यनुज्ञात + राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• शूद्रस्य: of a Śūdra
• शूद्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• जगती-पते: O lord of the world
• जगती-पते: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + पति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पृथ्वी-नाथ: O lord of the earth
• पृथ्वी-नाथ: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथ्वी + नाथ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king (rājā)
• Shudra (śūdra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that eligibility for prescribed life-stages is linked to ethical maturity and social responsibility: a Shudra who has fulfilled duties (service, family responsibilities, purity and good conduct) and has royal authorization may undertake the lawful āśramas—except saṃnyāsa (formal renunciation).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma addresses the ruler (Yudhishthira) and lays down a rule about social and religious life: he describes conditions under which a Shudra is permitted to follow recognized āśrama-based disciplines, emphasizing conduct, responsibility, and the king’s regulatory role.