Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

के धर्मा: सर्ववर्णानां चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य के पृथक्‌ चातुर्वर्ण्याश्रमाणां च राजधर्माश्व॒ के मता:

Transliteration

ke dharmāḥ sarvavarṇānāṃ cāturvarṇyasya ke pṛthak | cāturvarṇyāśramāṇāṃ ca rājadharmāś ca ke matāḥ ||

Translation

युधिष्ठिर बोले—पितामह! ऐसे कौन-से धर्म हैं जो सभी वर्णों के लिये हितकर हैं? चारों वर्णों के पृथक्-पृथक् धर्म कौन-से हैं? चारों वर्णों के साथ चारों आश्रमों के धर्म कौन हैं? और राजा के द्वारा पालन करने योग्य कौन-कौन से धर्म माने गये हैं?

Word by Word

• के: which (ones)
• के: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• धर्माः: duties; dharmas
• धर्माः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्ववर्णानाम्: of all varṇas (social classes)
• सर्ववर्णानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ववर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य: of the fourfold varṇa-system
• चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्वर्ण्य
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• के: which (ones)
• के: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पृथक्: separately; distinct
• पृथक्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक्

• चातुर्वर्ण्याश्रमाणाम्: of the (system of) varṇas and āśramas
• चातुर्वर्ण्याश्रमाणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्वर्ण्याश्रम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• राजधर्माः: duties of a king; royal duties
• राजधर्माः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• के: which (ones)
• के: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मताः: considered; held to be
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a comprehensive inquiry into dharma: universal duties applicable to everyone, role-specific duties of the four varṇas, life-stage duties of the four āśramas, and the special ethical obligations of a king. It sets up a systematic discussion of moral order from personal conduct to public governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Vaiśampāyana reports a question addressed to the Grandsire (Bhīṣma), requesting an authoritative exposition on different layers of dharma—general, varṇa-based, āśrama-based, and royal—preparing for Bhīṣma’s detailed teachings.