Shloka 8
परिव्राजक-आचारः (Conduct of the Wandering Renunciant) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 269
आसन गृहस्था भूयिष्ठा अव्युत्क्रान्ता: स्वकर्मसु । राजानश्न तथा युक्ता ब्राह्मणाश्न यथाविधि,पूर्वकालमें बहुत-से ब्राह्मण और राजा ऐसे हो गये हैं, जो गृहस्थ आश्रममें ही रहते हुए अपने-अपने कर्मोका त्याग न करके उनमें निष्काम भावसे विधिपूर्वक लगे रहे
āsan gṛhasthā bhūyiṣṭhā avyutkrāntāḥ svakarmasu | rājānaś ca tathā yuktā brāhmaṇāś ca yathāvidhi ||
आसन् गृहस्थाः भूयिष्ठा अव्युत्क्रान्ताः स्वकर्मसु। राजानश्च तथा युक्ता ब्राह्मणाश्च यथाविधि॥
कपिल उवाच
Educational Q&A
Kapila emphasizes that spiritual and ethical excellence does not require abandoning the householder life; rather, one should remain steady in one’s own prescribed duties and perform them properly (yathāvidhi) with disciplined, selfless intent (niṣkāma-bhāva).
Kapila is citing the precedent of earlier times: many householders—including kings and Brahmins—fulfilled their respective roles without deviating from duty, illustrating that dharma can be upheld through faithful performance of one’s social and ritual responsibilities.