Shloka 29
Rudra-Śiva: Names, Two Natures, and the Logic of Epithets (रुद्रनाम-बहुरूपत्व-प्रकरणम्)
ब्राह्मणे कीदृशो धर्म: क्षत्रिये कीदृशो5भवत् | वैश्ये किलक्षणो धर्म: शूद्रे किलक्षणो भवेत्
brāhmaṇe kīdṛśo dharmaḥ kṣatriye kīdṛśo 'bhavat | vaiśye ki-lakṣaṇo dharmaḥ śūdre ki-lakṣaṇo bhavet ||
ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଧର୍ମର ସ୍ୱରୂପ କ’ଣ? କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ କ’ଣ? ବୈଶ୍ୟଙ୍କ ଯଥୋଚିତ ଧର୍ମ କେଉଁ ଲକ୍ଷଣରେ ଜଣାଯାଏ, ଏବଂ ଶୂଦ୍ରଙ୍କ ଧର୍ମ କେଉଁ ଲକ୍ଷଣରେ ପରିଚିତ ହୁଏ?
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a systematic inquiry into varṇadharma—how dharma is defined differently for Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya, and Śūdra—by asking for the distinguishing characteristics (lakṣaṇas) of each.
Śrī Maheśvara speaks in a didactic context, posing questions that set up a subsequent explanation of the duties and ethical norms appropriate to the four social orders.