Shloka 31
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
राज्ञा वा समनुज्ञात: काम॑ कुर्वीत धार्मिक: । तस्य वृत्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि यच्च तस्योपजीवनम्
rājñā vā samanujñātaḥ kāmaṁ kurvīta dhārmikaḥ | tasya vṛttiṁ pravakṣyāmi yac ca tasyopajīvanam ||
ビーシュマは言った。「あるいは、王の正当な許しを得たなら、正しき者は望む務めに従事してよい。今、彼の相応しい生計の道—いかにして身を養うべきか—を説き、生活がダルマにかなうよう示そう。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even personal choice in action (kāmaṁ kurvīta) should be exercised within the framework of dharma and legitimate social authority; when the king grants permission, a righteous person may proceed, and one’s livelihood should be explained and chosen in a dharma-consistent way.
Bhishma continues his instruction in the Shanti Parva, transitioning into a discussion of proper occupations and means of subsistence, stating that with royal authorization a dharmic person may undertake desired work, and then promising to detail the appropriate livelihood.