Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

क्षत्रिय ब्रह्मचारी धर्मपालनकी इच्छा रखकर अनेक शास्त्रोंके ज्ञानका उपार्जन तथा गुरुशुश्रूषा करते हुए अकेला ही नित्य ब्रह्मचर्य-आश्रमके धर्मका आचरण करे। यह बात ऋषिलोग परस्पर मिलकर कहते हैं ।।

Transliteration

indra uvāca | kṣatriyo brahmacārī dharmapālanecchayā nānāśāstrajñānopārjanaṃ guruśuśrūṣāṃ ca kurvan eko nityaṃ brahmacaryāśramadharmam ācaret—iti ṛṣayaḥ parasparaṃ saṃmilitā vadanti || sāmānyārthe vyavahāre pravṛtte priyāpriye varjayann eva yatnāt | cāturvarṇyasthāpanāt pālanāc ca tais tair yogair niyamair aurasaḥ puruṣārthaiḥ sarvodyogaiś ca kṣātradharmaṃ gṛhasthāśramaṃ caiva sarvaśreṣṭhaṃ sarvadharmasampannaṃ prāhur yato hi sarvavarṇāḥ kṣātradharmasahāyena svadharmaṃ pālayanti | kṣātradharmābhāve teṣāṃ sarvadharmāṇāṃ prayojanaṃ viparītaṃ bhavatīti vadanti ||

Translation

ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର କହିଲେ— ବ୍ରହ୍ମଚାରୀ କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ ଧର୍ମରକ୍ଷାର ଇଚ୍ଛାରେ ବହୁ ଶାସ୍ତ୍ର ଅଧ୍ୟୟନ କରୁ, ଗୁରୁଶୁଶ୍ରୂଷା କରୁ; ସଂୟମରେ—ଏକାକୀ ଥିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ—ନିତ୍ୟ ବ୍ରହ୍ମଚର୍ୟାଶ୍ରମଧର୍ମ ଆଚରଣ କରୁ; ଏହି କଥା ଋଷିମାନେ ପରସ୍ପର ଏକମତ ହୋଇ କହନ୍ତି। ଏବଂ ଯେତେବେଳେ ଜନସାଧାରଣ ପାଇଁ ବ୍ୟବହାର ଓ ଲୋକକାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଆରମ୍ଭ ହୁଏ, ରାଜା ଯତ୍ନପୂର୍ବକ ପ୍ରିୟ-ଅପ୍ରିୟ ଭାବ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରୁ। ବିଭିନ୍ନ ଉପାୟ, ନିୟମ, ପୁରୁଷାର୍ଥ ଓ ସମସ୍ତ ଉଦ୍ୟୋଗ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଚାରି ବର୍ଣ୍ଣର ସ୍ଥାପନା ଓ ରକ୍ଷା କରିଥିବାରୁ ପରମ୍ପରା କ୍ଷାତ୍ରଧର୍ମ ଓ ଗୃହସ୍ଥାଶ୍ରମକୁ ସର୍ବଧର୍ମସମ୍ପନ୍ନ ଓ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ବୋଲି କହେ; କାରଣ ସମସ୍ତ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣ କ୍ଷାତ୍ରଧର୍ମର ସହାୟତାରେ ନିଜ ନିଜ ଧର୍ମ ପାଳନ କରନ୍ତି। କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟଧର୍ମ ନ ଥିଲେ ସେ ସମସ୍ତ ଧର୍ମର ପ୍ରୟୋଜନ ଉଲ୍ଟା ହୋଇ ବିପରୀତ ହୁଏ—ଏମିତି କୁହାଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• सामान्य-अर्थे: in the common (general) sense/purpose
• सामान्य-अर्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामान्य-अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• व्यवहारे: in practical dealings/transactions
• व्यवहारे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यवहार
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्रवृत्ते: when (it is) set in motion/has begun
• प्रवृत्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवृत्त
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्रिय-अप्रिये: the pleasant and the unpleasant
• प्रिय-अप्रिये: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय + अप्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Dual

• वर्जयन्: avoiding/renouncing
• वर्जयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ज्
• Form: Present (Shatru), Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• यत्नात्: with effort/strenuously
• यत्नात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• चातुर्वर्ण्य-स्थापनात्: from/owing to the establishment of the four varnas
• चातुर्वर्ण्य-स्थापनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्वर्ण्य-स्थापन
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• पालनात्: from/owing to protection/maintenance
• पालनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पालन
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

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

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तैः: by those (respective)
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• योगैः: by means/expedients
• योगैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• नियमैः: by disciplines/rules
• नियमैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• औरसैः: proper/legitimate (inborn, rightful)
• औरसैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: औरस
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

इन्द्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• इन्द्र (Indra)
• ऋषिलोग (ṛṣayaḥ, seers)
• क्षत्रिय (kṣatriya)
• राजा (king)
• गुरु (teacher)
• चारों वर्ण (cāturvarṇya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler-in-training must combine disciplined study and service to the teacher with strict self-restraint, and once engaged in public governance must renounce personal bias (likes/dislikes). Kṣātra-dharma—protecting and stabilizing the four varṇas—is presented as indispensable, because other social and religious duties function properly only when protected by just royal power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra addresses principles of conduct for a kṣatriya: first as a brahmacārin devoted to learning and guru-service, then as a king entering public administration. He reports the consensus of the seers that impartial governance and the protection of the social order make kṣatriya-dharma (along with the householder foundation) central to the maintenance of dharma in society.