Shloka 12

Kṣātra-dharma as the Public Foundation of Dharma (क्षात्रधर्म-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

शुश्रूषाकृतकार्यस्य कृतसंतानकर्मण: । अभ्यनुज्ञातराजस्य शूद्रस्य जगतीपते,पृथ्वीनाथ! जो शूद्र तीनों वर्णोकी सेवा करके कृतार्थ हो गया है, जिसने पुत्र उत्पन्न कर लिया है, शौच और सदाचारकी दृष्टिसे जिसमें अन्य त्रैवर्णिकोंकी अपेक्षा बहुत कम अन्तर रह गया है अथवा जो मनुप्रोक्त दस धर्मोके पालनमें तत्पर रहा हैः, वह शूद्र यदि राजाकी अनुमति प्राप्त कर ले तो उसके लिये संन्यासको छोड़कर शेष सभी आश्रम विहित हैं

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | śuśrūṣākṛtakāryasya kṛtasantānakarmaṇaḥ | abhyanugyātarājasya śūdrasya jagatīpate pṛthvīnātha |

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「おお世の主、大地の守護者よ。シュードラが篤い奉仕によって己が務めを果たし、子をもうけて家系を立て、清浄と善き行いにおいて『再生族』にほとんど劣らぬほどとなった（あるいはマヌの説く十のダルマを熱心に修めた）ならば——王の許しを得たうえで——遁世の放棄（サンニャーサ）を除く他のすべてのアーシュラマが、彼にとって正当と定められる。」

Word by Word

• शुश्रूषा-कृत-कार्यस्य: of one whose duty/work has been accomplished by service
• शुश्रूषा-कृत-कार्यस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषा + कृत + कार्य
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (genitive dependent on शूद्रस्य), Genitive, Singular

• कृत-संतान-कर्मणः: of one who has performed the act of begetting offspring
• कृत-संतान-कर्मणः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत + संतान + कर्मन्
• Form: Masculine (कर्मन्-stem), Genitive, Singular

• अभ्यनुज्ञात-राजस्य: of one permitted/authorized by the king
• अभ्यनुज्ञात-राजस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभ्यनुज्ञात + राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• शूद्रस्य: of a Śūdra
• शूद्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• जगती-पते: O lord of the world
• जगती-पते: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + पति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पृथ्वी-नाथ: O lord of the earth
• पृथ्वी-नाथ: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथ्वी + नाथ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king (rājā)
• Shudra (śūdra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that eligibility for prescribed life-stages is linked to ethical maturity and social responsibility: a Shudra who has fulfilled duties (service, family responsibilities, purity and good conduct) and has royal authorization may undertake the lawful āśramas—except saṃnyāsa (formal renunciation).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma addresses the ruler (Yudhishthira) and lays down a rule about social and religious life: he describes conditions under which a Shudra is permitted to follow recognized āśrama-based disciplines, emphasizing conduct, responsibility, and the king’s regulatory role.