Shloka 73
तीर्थवंशोपदेशः
Tīrtha-vaṃśa Upadeśa: Instruction on the Fruits of Sacred Waters
चातुराश्रम्यबाह्ाश्र श्रुतिबाह्माश्व ये नरा: । विकर्मभिक्ष जीवन्ति ते वै निरयगामिन:
cāturāśramyabāhyāś ca śrutibāhyāś ca ye narāḥ | vikarmabhikṣā jīvanti te vai nirayagāminaḥ ||
भीष्म उवाच—ये नरा चातुराश्रम्यधर्मात् बहिर्भूताः, वेदश्रुत्यधिकाराच्च बहिर्भूताः, ये च विकर्मभिक्षाजीविनः सन्ति, ते वै निरयगामिनः।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should live within the ethical framework of āśrama-dharma and the authority of śruti/śāstra; sustaining oneself through prohibited acts (vikarma) is condemned and said to lead to severe karmic consequences (niraya).
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma (Anuśāsana Parva), he warns about people who reject the Vedic-āśrama order and make their living through śāstra-forbidden means, stating that such conduct results in a fall into hell.