Shloka 7
विप्रक्षत्रियवैश्यानां शुश्रूषा शूद्रकर्म तत् गृहस्थधर्मो नागेन्द्र सर्वभूतहितैषिता,नागराज! ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय और वैश्य--तीनों वर्णोकी सेवा करना शूद्रका कर्तव्य बताया गया है और समस्त प्राणियोंके हितकी इच्छा रखना गृहस्थका धर्म है
viprakṣatriyavaiśyānāṁ śuśrūṣā śūdrakarma tat | gṛhasthadharmo nāgendra sarvabhūtahitaiṣitā ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “Para sa isang Śūdra, ang itinakdang tungkulin ay ang paglilingkod (maingat na pagdalo) sa Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, at Vaiśya. At para sa isang maybahay, O panginoon ng mga ahas, ang pinakadiwa ng dharma ay ang pagnanais na itaguyod ang kapakanan ng lahat ng may buhay.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse defines role-based duties: a Śūdra’s duty is service to the three higher varṇas, while a householder’s dharma is universal benevolence—actively wishing and working for the welfare of all beings.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma continues advising his listener (addressed as “Nāgendra,” i.e., serpent-lord) by summarizing key obligations tied to social order (varṇa) and life-stage (āśrama), emphasizing compassion as central to the householder’s path.