Shloka 1
Jāpakānāṃ Gatiḥ — The Destinies of Japa-Practitioners (Śānti Parva 12.190)
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Bharadvāja uvāca:
Brāhmaṇaḥ kena bhavati kṣatriyo vā dvijottama |
Vaiśyaḥ śūdraś ca viprarṣe tad brūhi vadatāṃ vara ||
ພາຣະດວາຊະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ຜູ້ສູງສຸດໃນບັນດາທະວິຊະ, ໂອ ພຣະພຣະຫມະຣິສິ—ຜູ້ເລີດລ້ຳໃນບັນດາຜູ້ກ່າວວາຈາ—ຂໍຈົ່ງບອກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າເຖິງສິ່ງນີ້: ດ້ວຍອັນໃດຄົນຈຶ່ງເປັນ ພຣາຫມະນະ ຫຼື ກະສັດຕຣິຍະ? ດ້ວຍອັນໃດຈຶ່ງເປັນ ໄວສະຍະ ຫຼື ຊູດຣະ? ຂໍຈົ່ງອະທິບາຍໃຫ້ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຟັງ.»
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: varṇa identity is being examined in terms of its determining basis—what qualities, conduct, and actions make one a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, or śūdra—setting up an ethical discussion that emphasizes lived dharma over mere labels.
In Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, the sage Bharadvāja respectfully questions a senior brāhmaṇa-seer, asking for a clear criterion by which people are classified into the four varṇas, initiating a discourse on duties, right conduct, and the path that culminates in higher realization.