Shloka 18

Cāturāśramya-dharma—Marks of the Four Āśramas (चातुराश्रम्यधर्मः)

Devanagari script

भूमिपानां च शुश्रूषा कर्तव्या सर्वदस्युभि: । वेदधर्मक्रियाश्रैव तेषां धर्मो विधीयते

Transliteration

bhūmipālānāṃ ca śuśrūṣā kartavyā sarva-dasyubhiḥ | veda-dharma-kriyāś caiva teṣāṃ dharmo vidhīyate ||

Translation

ଭୂମିପାଳମାନଙ୍କ ସେବା ଓ ଆଜ୍ଞାପାଳନ କରିବା ସମସ୍ତ ଦସ୍ୟୁଙ୍କର ମଧ୍ୟ କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟ। ତାଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ମଧ୍ୟ ବେଦବିହିତ ଧର୍ମକ୍ରିୟାର ଅନୁଷ୍ଠାନ ହିଁ ଯଥାର୍ଥ ଧର୍ମ ଭାବେ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦିଷ୍ଟ।

Word by Word

• भूमिपालानाम्: of the kings / rulers (protectors of the earth)
• भूमिपालानाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमिपाल
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

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

• शुश्रूषा: service, attendance
• शुश्रूषा: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कर्तव्या: to be done; obligatory
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वदस्युभिः: by all dās(y)us / robbers / lawless men
• सर्वदस्युभिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वदस्यु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• वेदधर्मक्रियाः: Veda-based religious rites/duties
• वेदधर्मक्रियाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदधर्मक्रिया
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

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

• एव: indeed, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• तेषाम्: of them; for them
• तेषाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• धर्मः: duty; dharma
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विधीयते: is prescribed; is enjoined
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (वि+धा)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Passive (Ātmanepada-form)

Speaker

इन्द्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• bhūmipāla (kings/land-protectors)
• dasyu (outlaws/brigands)
• Veda

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

No one is outside dharma: even those inclined to lawlessness are enjoined to respect and serve legitimate protectors of society and to adopt Veda-guided duties and rites, aligning personal conduct with social order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra, speaking as an authority on cosmic and royal order, states a normative rule: even ‘dasyus’ must submit to the land’s guardians and are assigned a prescribed dharma that includes Vedic observances, emphasizing governance and moral regulation.