Shloka 12
Kṣātra-dharma as the Public Foundation of Dharma (क्षात्रधर्म-प्रशंसा)
शुश्रूषाकृतकार्यस्य कृतसंतानकर्मण: । अभ्यनुज्ञातराजस्य शूद्रस्य जगतीपते,पृथ्वीनाथ! जो शूद्र तीनों वर्णोकी सेवा करके कृतार्थ हो गया है, जिसने पुत्र उत्पन्न कर लिया है, शौच और सदाचारकी दृष्टिसे जिसमें अन्य त्रैवर्णिकोंकी अपेक्षा बहुत कम अन्तर रह गया है अथवा जो मनुप्रोक्त दस धर्मोके पालनमें तत्पर रहा हैः, वह शूद्र यदि राजाकी अनुमति प्राप्त कर ले तो उसके लिये संन्यासको छोड़कर शेष सभी आश्रम विहित हैं
bhīṣma uvāca | śuśrūṣākṛtakāryasya kṛtasantānakarmaṇaḥ | abhyanugyātarājasya śūdrasya jagatīpate pṛthvīnātha |
Disse Bhishma: Ó senhor do mundo, ó protetor da terra—quando um Śūdra tiver cumprido seu dever por meio de serviço devotado, tiver estabelecido a linhagem ao gerar filhos e, em pureza e boa conduta, se tiver tornado quase indistinguível dos “duas-vezes-nascidos” (ou se dedicar com diligência aos dez dharmas ensinados por Manu), então—se obtiver a permissão do rei—todas as etapas de vida, exceto a renúncia (saṃnyāsa), lhe são prescritas como lícitas.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that eligibility for prescribed life-stages is linked to ethical maturity and social responsibility: a Shudra who has fulfilled duties (service, family responsibilities, purity and good conduct) and has royal authorization may undertake the lawful āśramas—except saṃnyāsa (formal renunciation).
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma addresses the ruler (Yudhishthira) and lays down a rule about social and religious life: he describes conditions under which a Shudra is permitted to follow recognized āśrama-based disciplines, emphasizing conduct, responsibility, and the king’s regulatory role.