Shloka 36
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
शूद्रेण तु न हातव्यो भर्ता कस्याज्चिदापदि । अतिरेकेण भर्तव्यो भर्ता द्रव्यपरिक्षये
śūdreṇa tu na hātavyo bhartā kasyācid āpadi | atirekeṇa bhartavyo bhartā dravya-parikṣaye ||
Bhīṣma disse: “Mesmo em tempos de aflição, um Śūdra não deve abandonar nem prejudicar o seu senhor. Ao contrário, quando as circunstâncias o exigirem—especialmente quando a riqueza do senhor se tiver esgotado—deve sustentá-lo e mantê-lo com cuidado especial.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches steadfast duty: a servant (here, a Śūdra) should not forsake his master in crisis, and should instead provide heightened support, especially when the master’s resources are depleted.
In the Śānti Parva’s dharma-instruction setting, Bhīṣma is laying down norms of conduct and social obligations, specifying how service should intensify when the master faces adversity or loss of wealth.