Shloka 140
Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)
सकल चातुराश्रम्यं चातुहोंत्रं तथैव च । चातुर्वर्ण्य तथैवात्र चातुर्विद्यं च कीर्तितम्
sakala-cāturāśramyaṁ cātur-hotraṁ tathaiva ca | cātur-varṇyaṁ tathaivātra cātur-vidyaṁ ca kīrtitam, yudhiṣṭhira |
Wahai Yudhiṣṭhira, dalam ajaran tentang nīti ini telah dipaparkan seluruh tatanan empat āśrama, sistem yajña dengan empat imam utama, empat varṇa, serta empat cabang pengetahuan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma summarizes that a complete account of dharma and governance includes the integrated framework of society and spirituality: the four stages of life, the sacrificial order with its priestly functions, the four social classes, and the recognized divisions of learning.
In the Shanti Parva dialogue, Bhishma continues instructing King Yudhishthira on rājadharma and nīti, indicating that the prior discourse has already covered the major institutional pillars of Vedic society—āśrama, yajña-priesthood, varṇa, and vidyā.