Shloka 23
Cāturāśramya-dharma—Marks of the Four Āśramas (चातुराश्रम्यधर्मः)
मान्धातोवाच दृश्यन्ते मानुषे लोके सर्ववर्णेषु दस्यव: । लिज्ान्तरे वर्तमाना आश्रमेषु चतुर्ष्वपि
māndhātovāca dṛśyante mānuṣe loke sarvavarṇeṣu dasyavaḥ | liṅgāntare vartamānā āśrameṣu caturṣv api ||
マーンダータ王は言った。「人の世には、あらゆるヴァルナ（身分）に盗賊や無法の者が見られる。たとえ他の身分を装う外見の徴をまとっていても、彼らは四つのアーシュラマ（人生の段階）のいずれにも入り込み、行き来しているのだ。」
इन्द्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
External status—whether varṇa or āśrama—does not guarantee virtue; unethical people can hide behind respectable identities, so dharma must be judged by conduct rather than mere appearance.
Māndhātā observes that criminals and exploiters exist across society and can even masquerade within the four āśramas, raising a concern about discerning true righteousness amid social and religious forms.