Shloka 28

Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)

Devanagari script

प्रजापतिर्हि वर्णानां दासं शूद्रमकल्पयत्‌ । तस्माच्छुद्रस्य वर्णानां परिचर्या विधीयते

Transliteration

prajāpatir hi varṇānāṃ dāsaṃ śūdram akalpayat | tasmāc chūdrasya varṇānāṃ paricaryā vidhīyate ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ପ୍ରଜାପତି ଶୂଦ୍ରକୁ ଅନ୍ୟ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣମାନଙ୍କର ପରିଚାରକ ଭାବେ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରିଛନ୍ତି; ତେଣୁ ଶୂଦ୍ର ପାଇଁ ତିନି ବର୍ଣ୍ଣଙ୍କ ସେବା-ପରିଚର୍ଯ୍ୟା ହିଁ ଶାସ୍ତ୍ରବିହିତ କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟ।

Word by Word

• प्रजापतिः: Prajapati (the creator)
• प्रजापतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• वर्णानाम्: of the varnas (social classes)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• दासम्: a servant
• दासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शूद्रम्: the Shudra
• शूद्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अकल्पयत्: created/ordained/made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कल्पय् (√कॢप्/कल्प् caus.)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)

• शूद्रस्य: of the Shudra
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वर्णानाम्: of the (other) varnas
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• परिचर्या: service/attendance
• परिचर्या: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिचर्या
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• विधीयते: is prescribed/is enjoined
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धा (वि + धा)
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada (passive sense)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Prajāpati
• Śūdra
• Varṇas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse states a normative rule of varṇa-dharma: the Śūdra’s prescribed role is paricaryā—service/attendance—toward the other varṇas, presented as an ordinance traced to Prajāpati.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and social duties; here he articulates a traditional account of how the Śūdra’s occupational duty is defined within the varṇa framework.