Shloka 9
Cāturāśramya-dharma—Marks of the Four Āśramas (चातुराश्रम्यधर्मः)
चातुराश्रम्यधर्माश्च वेदधर्माश्च पार्थिव । ब्राह्मणेनानुगन्तव्या नान्यो विद्यात् कदाचन
cāturāśramyadharmāś ca vedadharmāś ca pārthiva | brāhmaṇenānugantavyā nānyo vidyāt kadācana ||
ହେ ରାଜନ! ଚାରି ଆଶ୍ରମର ଧର୍ମ ଓ ବେଦରେ କଥିତ ଧର୍ମ—ଏ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଭାବେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ମାତ୍ର ଅନୁସରଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ଶୂଦ୍ର ଆଦି ଅନ୍ୟ କେହି ସେହି ବୈଦିକ ଧର୍ମକୁ ସେଇ ପ୍ରକାରେ କେବେ ଯଥାର୍ଥ ଭାବେ ଜାଣିପାରିବେ ନାହିଁ।
इन्द्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a varṇa-āśrama framework: the full range of āśrama-based duties and Vedic injunctions are presented as properly knowable and to be practiced primarily by brāhmaṇas, emphasizing Vedic learning and ritual-ethical competence as their defining responsibility.
Indra addresses a king and instructs him on dharma, specifically highlighting who is qualified to know and follow Vedic and āśrama duties, thereby reinforcing a normative social-religious order within the Śānti Parva’s broader discourse on righteous conduct.