Shloka 11

Āśrama-dharma and Brahmacarya: Śuka’s Inquiry on Karma and Tyāga (शुक-प्रश्नः कर्मत्यागविवेकश्च)

Devanagari script

अध्यापयेदधीयीत याजयेत यजेत वा । न वृथा प्रतिगृह्लीयान्न च दद्यात्‌ कथंचन

Transliteration

adhyāpayed adhīyīta yājayet yajeta vā | na vṛthā pratigṛhṇīyān na ca dadyāt kathaṃcana ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Vyāsa: “Dapat itaguyod ng isang brāhmaṇa ang kanyang kabuhayan sa anim na pinahihintulutang tungkulin—mag-aral at magturo, magsakripisyo at mangasiwa ng sakripisyo para sa iba, magbigay at tumanggap ng kaloob. Ngunit hindi siya dapat tumanggap ng kaloob nang di-wasto o walang dahilan, at hindi rin siya dapat magbigay ng limos nang aksaya o walang pagpili.”

Word by Word

• अध्यापयेत्: should teach (make others study)
• अध्यापयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अध्यापय् (अधि-√इ + णिच्)
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative (injunctive sense: 'should'), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अधीयीत: should study
• अधीयीत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-√इ
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative, 3, Singular, Atmanepada

• याजयेत्: should cause (others) to sacrifice / officiate
• याजयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: याजय् (√यज् + णिच्)
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यजेत: should sacrifice
• यजेत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यज्
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative, 3, Singular, Atmanepada

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• वृथा: in vain / improperly / without purpose
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृथा

• प्रतिगृह्लीयात्: should accept/receive (as a gift)
• प्रतिगृह्लीयात्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-√ग्रह्
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative, 3, Singular, Atmanepada

• न: nor / not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

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

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कथंचन: in any way / at all (emphatic)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• brāhmaṇa (as a social-religious role)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines the legitimate means of livelihood and conduct for a brāhmaṇa—study/teaching and sacrifice/officiating, along with giving/receiving gifts—while placing strict ethical limits: do not accept improper gifts, and do not give charity wastefully or indiscriminately.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s dharma instruction, Vyāsa lays down normative rules of right conduct, focusing here on regulated economic and ritual behavior—how one should teach, perform rites, and handle gifts so that livelihood remains aligned with dharma.