Shloka 24

Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणाय च राज्ञे च सर्वा: परिददे प्रजा: । तस्य वृत्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि यच्च तस्योपजीवनम्‌

Transliteration

brāhmaṇāya ca rājñe ca sarvāḥ paridadē prajāḥ | tasya vṛttiṃ pravakṣyāmi yac ca tasyopajīvanam ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: “Đối với Bà-la-môn và nhà vua, toàn thể thần dân đã được giao phó để che chở và nuôi dưỡng. Nay ta sẽ giảng về nghề nghiệp của Vaiśya—sinh kế đúng đắn của họ và những phương cách họ nương vào để tự nuôi sống.”

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणाय: to the Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

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

• राज्ञे: to the king
• राज्ञे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

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

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• परिददे: gave over / entrusted
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (परि-दा)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular

• प्रजाः: the subjects / people
• प्रजाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• तस्य: of him / his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• वृत्तिम्: livelihood / occupation
• वृत्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall explain
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (प्र-वच्)
• Form: Future (Luṭ), First, Singular

• यत्: which / that
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

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

• तस्य: of him / his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• उपजीवनम्: means of subsistence
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपजीवन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahmin (Brāhmaṇa)
• King (Rājā)
• Subjects (Prajāḥ)
• Vaishya (implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames social responsibility in dharma: the welfare of the people is placed under the guidance of the Brahmin (norms, teaching, counsel) and the king (governance, protection), and it introduces the next topic—defining the Vaishya’s rightful livelihood (vṛtti) as part of an ordered ethical society.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma continues his systematic exposition of duties by social role. After indicating that the care of the populace is entrusted to Brahmins and kings, he transitions to describe the Vaishya’s occupation and means of subsistence.