Shloka 38
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
तस्माच्छूद्र: पाकयज्जैर्यजेताव्रतवान् स्वयम् । पूर्णपात्रमयीमाहु: पाकयज्ञस्य दक्षिणाम्,अतः शूद्र स्वयं वैदिक व्रतोंकी दीक्षा न लेकर पाकयज्ञों (बलिवैश्वदेव आदि) द्वारा यजन करे। पाकयज्ञकी दक्षिणा पूर्णपात्रमयी- बतायी गयी है
tasmāc chūdraḥ pākayajñair yajetāvratavān svayam | pūrṇapātramayīm āhuḥ pākayajñasya dakṣiṇām ||
Karena itu, seorang Śūdra, tanpa mengambil inisiasi kaul Weda, hendaknya beribadah dengan usahanya sendiri melalui pākayajña rumah tangga—seperti persembahan bali dan ritus vaiśvadeva. Dikatakan bahwa dakṣiṇā bagi pākayajña adalah “bejana yang penuh”: pemberian yang utuh dan layak, dipersembahkan dengan ketulusan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that religious duty should be practiced according to one’s eligibility: a Śūdra should perform household pākayajñas rather than rites requiring Vedic initiatory vows, and should still uphold generosity by giving an appropriate dakṣiṇā, described here as a ‘full vessel’ gift.
In the Śānti Parva’s dharma instruction, Bhīṣma is advising Yudhiṣṭhira on proper conduct and ritual obligations for different social groups, specifying the suitable form of sacrifice for a Śūdra and the customary form of dakṣiṇā for pākayajñas.