Shloka 11
Āśrama-dharma and Brahmacarya: Śuka’s Inquiry on Karma and Tyāga (शुक-प्रश्नः कर्मत्यागविवेकश्च)
अध्यापयेदधीयीत याजयेत यजेत वा । न वृथा प्रतिगृह्लीयान्न च दद्यात् कथंचन
adhyāpayed adhīyīta yājayet yajeta vā | na vṛthā pratigṛhṇīyān na ca dadyāt kathaṃcana ||
ວະຍາສະກ່າວວ່າ: “ພຣາຫມັນຄວນດຳລົງຊີວິດດ້ວຍໜ້າທີ່ທີ່ອະນຸຍາດໄວ້ຫົກປະການ—ຮຽນແລະສອນ, ປະກອບຍັດຍະແລະເປັນຜູ້ນຳພິທີໃຫ້ຜູ້ອື່ນ, ໃຫ້ທານແລະຮັບທານ. ແຕ່ເຂົາບໍ່ຄວນຮັບຂອງຂວັນຢ່າງບໍ່ຖືກທຳ ຫຼືໂດຍບໍ່ມີເຫດ, ແລະບໍ່ຄວນໃຫ້ທານຢ່າງຟຸ່ມເຟືອຍ ຫຼືແບບບໍ່ພິຈາລະນາ.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse defines the legitimate means of livelihood and conduct for a brāhmaṇa—study/teaching and sacrifice/officiating, along with giving/receiving gifts—while placing strict ethical limits: do not accept improper gifts, and do not give charity wastefully or indiscriminately.
In the Śānti Parva’s dharma instruction, Vyāsa lays down normative rules of right conduct, focusing here on regulated economic and ritual behavior—how one should teach, perform rites, and handle gifts so that livelihood remains aligned with dharma.