Shloka 20
Aśvatthāmā’s Buddhi-Doctrine and Nocturnal Incursion Resolve (अश्वत्थाम्नः बुद्धिविचारः सौप्तिकसंकल्पश्च)
अदान्तो ब्राह्मणोडसाधुर्निस्तिजा: क्षत्रियो5धम: । अदक्षो निन्द्यते वैश्य: शूद्रश्न प्रतिकूलवान्
sañjaya uvāca |
adānto brāhmaṇo 'sādhur nistejāḥ kṣatriyo 'dhamaḥ |
adakṣo nindyate vaiśyaḥ śūdraś ca pratikūlavān ||
जो ब्राह्मण मन और इन्द्रियों को वश में नहीं रखता, वह साधु नहीं माना जाता; तेजहीन क्षत्रिय अधम समझा जाता है; अकुशल वैश्य निन्दित होता है; और जो शूद्र अन्य वर्णों के प्रतिकूल चलता है, वह भी निन्दनीय है।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames ethical expectations as role-based duties: self-mastery is central for a brāhmaṇa, vigor and courage for a kṣatriya, competence in livelihood for a vaiśya, and cooperative, non-disruptive conduct for a śūdra. Failure in these defining virtues is presented as blameworthy.
In the Sauptika Parva, Sañjaya reports and reflects on events and their moral implications after the night-raid episode. Here he articulates a general dharma-based judgment about how each social role is evaluated when it falls short of its characteristic discipline or function.