Shloka 23
Cāturāśramya-dharma—Marks of the Four Āśramas (चातुराश्रम्यधर्मः)
मान्धातोवाच दृश्यन्ते मानुषे लोके सर्ववर्णेषु दस्यव: । लिज्ान्तरे वर्तमाना आश्रमेषु चतुर्ष्वपि
māndhātovāca dṛśyante mānuṣe loke sarvavarṇeṣu dasyavaḥ | liṅgāntare vartamānā āśrameṣu caturṣv api ||
Māndhātā berkata: “Wahai Bhagavan, di dunia manusia para perampok dan pelanggar hukum tampak di semua varṇa. Bahkan dengan mengenakan tanda-tanda lahiriah dari identitas lain, mereka tetap berkeliaran di keempat āśrama.”
इन्द्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
External status—whether varṇa or āśrama—does not guarantee virtue; unethical people can hide behind respectable identities, so dharma must be judged by conduct rather than mere appearance.
Māndhātā observes that criminals and exploiters exist across society and can even masquerade within the four āśramas, raising a concern about discerning true righteousness amid social and religious forms.