Shloka 9
Kṣātra-dharma as the Public Foundation of Dharma (क्षात्रधर्म-प्रशंसा)
शूद्रं वैश्यं राजपुत्रं च राजन्- लोका: सर्वे संश्रिता धर्मकामा: । तस्माद् वर्णात् शान्तिधर्मेष्वसक्तान् मत्वा विष्णुनेच्छति पाण्डुपुत्र
śūdraṃ vaiśyaṃ rājaputraṃ ca rājan lokāḥ sarve saṃśritā dharmakāmāḥ | tasmād varṇāt śāntidharmeṣv asaktān matvā viṣṇur necchati pāṇḍuputra rājan pāṇḍunandana ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai Raja, semua orang yang ingin menegakkan dharma mencari sokongan dan perlindungan daripada Śūdra, Vaiśya, dan putera raja (Kṣatriya). Oleh itu, wahai putera Pāṇḍu—wahai Raja, kesayangan Pāṇḍu—Vişṇu, dengan menganggap golongan itu tidak terlibat atau tidak berkeupayaan dalam disiplin Dharma Kedamaian (jalan menuju pembebasan), tidak berhasrat mengajarkan dharma yang berpusat pada kedamaian kepada mereka.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a social-ethical claim: society relies on different varṇas for support and protection, and the ‘śānti-dharma’ (peace/renunciatory discipline associated with liberation) is presented as not being taught to those deemed not oriented or competent for it. It reflects a traditional, hierarchical view of eligibility (adhikāra) for certain spiritual disciplines.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs King Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma after the war. Here Bhīṣma addresses Yudhiṣṭhira directly and explains why Viṣṇu is said not to teach the peace-centered, liberation-oriented dharma to certain social groups, emphasizing society’s dependence on them for worldly support and order.