Shloka 15
Varṇāśrama-ācāra and Vikarma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry on Safe Dharmas (शिवधर्मप्रश्नः)
भरणं पुत्रदाराणां वेदानां धारणं तथा । वसतामाश्रमं श्रेष्ठ वदन्ति परमर्षय:
bharaṇaṃ putradārāṇāṃ vedānāṃ dhāraṇaṃ tathā | vasatām āśramaṃ śreṣṭha vadanti paramarṣayaḥ ||
ビーシュマは言った。「至高の賢者たちは、二つの務めが最も肝要であると説く。すなわち、正しい扶養によって子らと妻を養うこと、そして学びと護持によってヴェーダを支えることである。アーシュラマの規律に生きる者にとって、これらは行いの最上の礎として称えられる。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is grounded in responsibility and continuity: one must sustain dependents (especially in the householder context) and also uphold the Vedas through learning, remembrance, and faithful transmission.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma addresses the listener as “O best one” and cites the authority of the highest sages to emphasize key duties for those living within the āśrama framework.