Shloka 32
Bhīṣma on the Śara-Śayyā: Yudhiṣṭhira and Kṛṣṇa Approach the Eldest for Śānti
चातुराश्रम्यसंयुक्ता: सर्वे ते विदितास्तव । चातुर्विद्यि च ये प्रोक्ता श्चातुर्होत्रे च भारत
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
cāturāśramya-saṁyuktāḥ sarve te viditās tava |
cāturvidyāś ca ye proktāś cāturhotre ca bhārata ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Bhārata, semua kewajiban yang terkait dengan empat āśrama telah engkau ketahui. Engkau juga mengetahui ajaran yang disampaikan dalam empat cabang vidyā, serta tanggung jawab yang ditetapkan bagi empat imam ritual (hotṛ).”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames dharma as comprehensive: it spans social-ethical duties (varṇa and āśrama), intellectual authority (the fourfold sacred learning), and ritual responsibility (the four priests). It implies that a well-instructed person should integrate conduct, knowledge, and sacrificial duty.
Vaiśampāyana addresses “Bhārata,” stating that the listener is already familiar with the established teachings on varṇa-āśrama duties, the doctrines taught in the four vidyās, and the prescribed functions of the four Vedic priests—setting a learned baseline before proceeding to further instruction.