Shloka 31
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
राज्ञा वा समनुज्ञात: काम॑ कुर्वीत धार्मिक: । तस्य वृत्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि यच्च तस्योपजीवनम्
rājñā vā samanujñātaḥ kāmaṁ kurvīta dhārmikaḥ | tasya vṛttiṁ pravakṣyāmi yac ca tasyopajīvanam ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “O kaya, kapag may nararapat na pahintulot ng hari, ang taong matuwid ay maaaring isagawa ang napili niyang gawain. Ngayon ay ilalarawan ko ang nararapat niyang kabuhayan—ang paraan upang siya’y mabuhay—upang manatiling kaayon ng dharma ang kanyang pamumuhay.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even personal choice in action (kāmaṁ kurvīta) should be exercised within the framework of dharma and legitimate social authority; when the king grants permission, a righteous person may proceed, and one’s livelihood should be explained and chosen in a dharma-consistent way.
Bhishma continues his instruction in the Shanti Parva, transitioning into a discussion of proper occupations and means of subsistence, stating that with royal authorization a dharmic person may undertake desired work, and then promising to detail the appropriate livelihood.