Shloka 12
Vasiṣṭha–Karāla-Janaka Saṃvāda: Aśuddha-Sevana, Guṇa-Dr̥ṣṭi, and Sāṃkhya–Yoga Ekārthatā
Mahābhārata 12.293
अजिद्दौरशकक्रोधै्हव्यकव्यप्रयोक्तृभि: । शूद्रेर्निर्मार्जनं कार्यमेवं धर्मो न नश्यति
ajiddaurśakakrodhaiḥ havyakavyaprayoktṛbhiḥ | śūdrer nirmārjanaṃ kāryam evaṃ dharmo na naśyati ||
ಪರಾಶರನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣರು ಕಪಟ, ಶಠತೆ ಮತ್ತು ಕ್ರೋಧವನ್ನು ಜಯಿಸಿ ಹವ್ಯ-ಕವ್ಯವನ್ನು ವಿಧಿವತ್ತಾಗಿ ಪ್ರಯೋಗಿಸಬೇಕು. ಶೂದ್ರರು ಯಜ್ಞಭೂಮಿಯನ್ನೂ ದ್ವಿಜರ ನಿವಾಸಗಳನ್ನೂ ಒಗೆಯುವ-ಶುದ್ಧಿಗೊಳಿಸುವ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡಬೇಕು. ಹೀಗೆ ತಮತಮ ಧರ್ಮವನ್ನು ನೆರವೇರಿಸಿದರೆ ಧರ್ಮ ನಾಶವಾಗದು.
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that dharma is preserved when people restrain inner vices (crookedness, deceit, anger) and perform their socially assigned duties—especially proper use of ritual offerings (havya/kavya) and maintenance of purity through cleaning—so that religious and communal life functions without decline.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on conduct and social duties, Parāśara is laying out a normative model of varṇa-based responsibilities: Brahmins should be morally disciplined and correctly perform/guide offerings, while Śūdras support ritual and household order through cleansing work; this mutual functioning is presented as preventing the decay of dharma.