Shloka 12
Vasiṣṭha–Karāla-Janaka Saṃvāda: Aśuddha-Sevana, Guṇa-Dr̥ṣṭi, and Sāṃkhya–Yoga Ekārthatā
Mahābhārata 12.293
अजिद्दौरशकक्रोधै्हव्यकव्यप्रयोक्तृभि: । शूद्रेर्निर्मार्जनं कार्यमेवं धर्मो न नश्यति
ajiddaurśakakrodhaiḥ havyakavyaprayoktṛbhiḥ | śūdrer nirmārjanaṃ kāryam evaṃ dharmo na naśyati ||
Wika ni Parāśara: “Ang mga Brāhmaṇa, matapos mapagtagumpayan ang pagkatuso, panlilinlang, at galit, ay dapat gumamit nang wasto ng mga handog para sa mga diyos at sa mga ninuno (havya at kavya) sa nararapat na mga ritwal. Ang mga Śūdra naman ay dapat gumanap ng paglilinis—magwalis at panatilihing dalisay ang pook ng paghahandog at ang mga tahanan ng mga ‘dalawang ulit na isinilang.’ Kapag ginampanan ng bawat isa ang tungkuling angkop sa kanyang kalagayan sa ganitong paraan, hindi humihina ang dharma.”
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that dharma is preserved when people restrain inner vices (crookedness, deceit, anger) and perform their socially assigned duties—especially proper use of ritual offerings (havya/kavya) and maintenance of purity through cleaning—so that religious and communal life functions without decline.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on conduct and social duties, Parāśara is laying out a normative model of varṇa-based responsibilities: Brahmins should be morally disciplined and correctly perform/guide offerings, while Śūdras support ritual and household order through cleansing work; this mutual functioning is presented as preventing the decay of dharma.