Shloka 32
Prāyaścitta and Contextual Non-Culpability (प्रायश्चित्त-निमित्त-अदोषवाद)
चतुष्पात् सकलो धर्मों ब्राह्मणस्य विधीयते । पादावकृष्टो राजन्ये तथा धर्मो विधीयते
catuṣpāt sakalo dharmo brāhmaṇasya vidhīyate | pādāvakṛṣṭo rājanye tathā dharmo vidhīyate ||
ବ୍ୟାସ କହିଲେ—ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ପାଇଁ ଧର୍ମ ଚାରି ପାଦ ସହିତ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଭାବେ ବିଧିତ। କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ ପାଇଁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଧର୍ମ ବିଧିତ, କିନ୍ତୁ ତାହା ଗୋଟିଏ ‘ପାଦ’ କମ—ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣଧର୍ମଠାରୁ କମ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ—ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଇଛି।
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a graded model of varṇa-based duties: the Brāhmaṇa is enjoined to uphold dharma in its full, ‘four-part’ completeness, while the Kṣatriya’s dharma is described as comparatively reduced by one part—suggesting differing expectations and emphases in ethical-religious obligations across social roles.
In Śānti Parva’s instructional discourse on governance and righteousness after the war, Vyāsa states a normative principle about how dharma is prescribed for different varṇas, contrasting the completeness of Brāhmaṇa-dharma with the comparatively diminished form assigned to the royal/warrior class.