Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

अपर - पूर्णपात्रका परिमाण इस प्रकार है--आठ मुदठ्ठी अन्नको 'किंचित” कहते हैं

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca |

āśramāṇāṃ mahābāho śṛṇu satyaparākrama |

caturṇām api nāmāni karmāṇi ca yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਹੇ ਸੱਚੇ ਪਰਾਕ੍ਰਮ ਵਾਲੇ ਮਹਾਬਾਹੁ ਯੁਧਿਸ਼ਠਿਰ! ਸੁਣ। ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਚਾਰਾਂ ਆਸ਼ਰਮਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਮ ਅਤੇ ਹਰ ਇੱਕ ਦੇ ਕਰਤੱਬ ਯਥਾਵਤ ਦੱਸਦਾ ਹਾਂ।

Word by Word

• आश्रमाणाम्: of the āśramas (stages of life)
• आश्रमाणाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• महाबाहो: O mighty-armed one
• महाबाहो: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शृणु: hear (listen)
• शृणु: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सत्यपराक्रम: O one whose valor is true (steadfast in prowess)
• सत्यपराक्रम: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यपराक्रम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• चतुर्णाम्: of the four
• चतुर्णाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• नामानि: names
• नामानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• कर्माणि: duties/acts
• कर्माणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिर: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Āśramas (four life-stages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma introduces a structured account of āśrama-dharma: the four life-stages and the specific duties (karmāṇi) appropriate to each, presenting dharma as an ordered, role-based discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction to the newly enthroned Yudhishthira, Bhishma begins a new section by inviting him to listen as he enumerates the four āśramas and explains their respective obligations.