Shloka 11
Kṣātra-dharma as the Public Foundation of Dharma (क्षात्रधर्म-प्रशंसा)
यश्न त्रयाणां वर्णानामिच्छेदाश्रमसेवनम् । चातुराश्रम्यदृष्टांश्न॒ धर्मास्तान् शृणु पाण्डव
Bhīṣma uvāca: yas triṇāṁ varṇānām icched āśrama-sevanam | cāturāśramya-dṛṣṭāṁś ca dharmās tān śṛṇu pāṇḍava ||
भीष्म म्हणाले—हे पांडवा! जर एखादा राजा अशी इच्छा करीत असेल की ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय आणि वैश्य हे तीन वर्ण शास्त्रोक्त विधीने चातुराश्रम्याचे आचरण करोत, तर ऐक. मी चारही आश्रमांना उपकारक असे धर्म चातुराश्रम्यदृष्ट्या सांगतो.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king who seeks a stable and righteous realm should ensure that the three varṇas follow scripturally grounded āśrama-duties; Bhishma introduces the general dharmas that support the four-āśrama system as a framework for social and ethical order.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Bhishma continues instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma after the war. Here he signals a transition: he is about to outline the duties relevant to the four āśramas, aimed especially at guiding royal governance and public conduct.