Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

कृतकृत्यो वयो5तीतो राज्ञ: कृतपरिश्रम: । वैश्यो गच्छेदनुज्ञातो नृपेणाश्रमसंश्रयम्‌,अपने वर्णधर्मका परिश्रमपूर्वक पालन करके कृतकृत्य हुआ वैश्य अधिक अवस्था व्यतीत हो जानेपर राजाकी आज्ञा लेकर क्षत्रियोचित वानप्रस्थ आश्रमोंका ग्रहण करे

Transliteration

kṛtakṛtyo vayotīto rājñaḥ kṛtaparishramaḥ | vaiśyo gacched anu-jñāto nṛpeṇāśramasaṃśrayam ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「ヴァイシャが己が務めを果たし、老いてその身分に課せられた労苦を終えたなら——王の許しを得て——世の営みから退き、アーシュラマに身を寄せるべきである。すなわち、家の責務を離れる移行にふさわしい林住者（ヴァーナプラस्थ）の行を受け入れるのだ。」

Word by Word

कृतकृत्यःhaving accomplished what should be done; fulfilled

वयः-अतीतःhaving passed (his) age; advanced in years

राज्ञःof the king

कृत-परिश्रमःhaving performed the required exertion; having done his toil

वैश्यःthe Vaiśya

गच्छेत्should go

अनुज्ञातःpermitted; having obtained permission

नृपेणby the king

आश्रम-संश्रयम्resort to an āśrama; taking refuge in an āśrama

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

king (rājā/nṛpa)

Vaiśya

āśrama

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

After properly completing one’s prescribed social duties (varṇa-dharma) and reaching old age, one should transition toward a disciplined, renunciatory life (āśrama), doing so in an orderly way that respects social governance—here, by seeking the king’s permission.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma in the Śānti Parva, he outlines a normative life-course for a Vaiśya: having fulfilled household and occupational responsibilities, the person may withdraw from active worldly engagement and take up an āśrama-oriented life, with royal authorization.