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Shloka 336

Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)

शूद्रायैव प्रदेयानि तस्य धर्मधनं हि तत्‌ । फटे-पुराने कपड़े, जो अपने धारण करने योग्य न रहें, वे द्विजातियोंद्वारा शूद्रको ही दे देने योग्य हैं; क्योंकि धर्मतः वे सब वस्तुएँ शूद्रकी ही सम्पत्ति हैं

śūdrāyaiva pradeyāni tasya dharmadhanaṃ hi tat |

ビーシュマは言う。「そのような品はシュードラ(Śūdra)にのみ与えるべきである。ダルマの規定により、それらは彼の正当な財と見なされるからだ。倫理の上でも、二度生まれ(dvija)がもはや用いるに堪えぬもの—たとえば擦り切れ破れた衣—を溜め込んだり不当に用いたりせず、義務としての施しとして、ふさわしく益を受ける者へ移し与えるべきである。」

शूद्रायto/for the Śūdra
शूद्राय:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootशूद्र
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
एवindeed/only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
प्रदेयानिto be given (fit to be given)
प्रदेयानि:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रदेय
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
तस्यof him/of that (i.e., of the Śūdra)
तस्य:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
धर्मधनम्righteous wealth / wealth by dharma
धर्मधनम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधर्मधन
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
हिfor/indeed
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
तत्that
तत्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
Ś
Śūdra

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches a rule of dharmic giving: items no longer suitable for a twice-born person’s use should be given to a Śūdra, since dharma regards such discarded goods as properly belonging to him; ethical conduct lies in appropriate, duty-based redistribution rather than hoarding.

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Bhīṣma is advising Yudhiṣṭhira on norms of charity and social duty, specifying who should receive certain kinds of leftover or worn possessions.