Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

राज्ञा वा समनुज्ञात: काम॑ कुर्वीत धार्मिक: । तस्य वृत्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि यच्च तस्योपजीवनम्‌

Transliteration

rājñā vā samanujñātaḥ kāmaṁ kurvīta dhārmikaḥ | tasya vṛttiṁ pravakṣyāmi yac ca tasyopajīvanam ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—କିମ୍ବା ରାଜାଙ୍କ ଯଥାବିଧି ଅନୁମତି ପାଇଲେ ଧର୍ମନିଷ୍ଠ ପୁରୁଷ ନିଜ ଇଚ୍ଛାନୁସାରେ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରିପାରେ। ଏବେ ମୁଁ ତାହାର ଯଥୋଚିତ ବୃତ୍ତି ଓ ଉପଜୀବନର ମାର୍ଗ କହିବି, ଯାହାଦ୍ୱାରା ସେ ଧର୍ମାନୁଗତ ଜୀବନ ଧାରଣ କରିପାରିବ।

Word by Word

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• समनुज्ञातः: having been permitted/authorized
• समनुज्ञातः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-अनु-ज्ञा (समनुज्ञात)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कामम्: as he wishes; at will
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: काम

• कुर्वीत: should do; may perform
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धार्मिकः: a righteous man
• धार्मिकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धार्मिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तस्य: of him; his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• वृत्तिम्: means of livelihood; mode of living
• वृत्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall declare
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच्
• Form: Simple Future (Lṛṭ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यत्: which; that which
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तस्य: of him; his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• उपजीवनम्: livelihood; subsistence
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपजीवन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• king (rājā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even personal choice in action (kāmaṁ kurvīta) should be exercised within the framework of dharma and legitimate social authority; when the king grants permission, a righteous person may proceed, and one’s livelihood should be explained and chosen in a dharma-consistent way.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma continues his instruction in the Shanti Parva, transitioning into a discussion of proper occupations and means of subsistence, stating that with royal authorization a dharmic person may undertake desired work, and then promising to detail the appropriate livelihood.