Shloka 10

Varṇāśrama-ācāra and Vikarma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry on Safe Dharmas (शिवधर्मप्रश्नः)

Devanagari script

अधीत्य वेदान्‌ कृतसर्वकृत्य: संतानमुत्पाद्य सुखानि भुक्त्वा | समाहित: प्रचरेद्‌ दुश्चरं यो गार्हस्थ्यधर्म मुनिधर्मजुष्टम्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | adhītya vedān kṛta-sarva-kṛtyaḥ santānam utpādya sukhāni bhuktvā | samāhitaḥ pracared duścaraṃ yo gārhasthya-dharmaṃ muni-dharma-juṣṭam ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଯେ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି ବେଦ ଅଧ୍ୟୟନ କରି ସମସ୍ତ ବିହିତ କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟ ସମ୍ପାଦନ କରିଛି, ସନ୍ତାନ ଉତ୍ପାଦନ କରି ଗୃହସ୍ଥଧର୍ମର ନ୍ୟାୟୋଚିତ ସୁଖ ଭୋଗ କରିଛି; ତଥାପି ଯେ ଏକାଗ୍ରଚିତ୍ତ ହୋଇ ମୁନିଧର୍ମ-ଯୁକ୍ତ ଦୁଷ୍କର ଗାର୍ହସ୍ଥ୍ୟଧର୍ମ ଆଚରଣ କରେ—ସେଇ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଉତ୍ତମ।

Word by Word

• अधीत्य: having studied
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-इ (अधी-)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), कर्तरि

• वेदान्: the Vedas
• वेदान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कृत: done, accomplished
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्व: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृत्यः: one whose duties (to be done) are (completed)
• कृत्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संतानम्: offspring, progeny
• संतानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उत्पाद्य: having produced, having begotten
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-√पद् (उत्पादयति caus.)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), कर्तरि

• सुखानि: pleasures, comforts
• सुखानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• भुक्त्वा: having enjoyed
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), कर्तरि

• समाहितः: collected (in mind), concentrated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रचरेत्: should practice/should conduct (himself)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-चर्
• Form: विधिलिङ्, Optative (injunctive sense), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दुश्चरम्: hard to practice
• दुश्चरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुश्चर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गार्हस्थ्यधर्मम्: the dharma of the householder
• गार्हस्थ्यधर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गार्हस्थ्य-धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मुनिधर्मजुष्टम्: endowed with/associated with the sages’ dharma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुनि-धर्म-जुष्ट
• Form: क्त (P.P.P. of √जुष् 'to be devoted to/associated with'), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Vedas
• Gārhasthya-dharma (householder dharma)
• Muni (sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises the ideal householder: one who completes Vedic learning and prescribed duties, sustains family life through legitimate enjoyments and progeny, yet remains mentally disciplined and lives with sage-like restraint. Household life is presented as spiritually weighty and difficult, but excellent when aligned with ethical self-control.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma after the war. Here he describes the standards of gārhasthya-dharma, emphasizing that a householder who fulfills scriptural obligations and family responsibilities while maintaining inner composure and ascetic virtues is worthy of high regard.