Shloka 6

Brāhmaṇa-Dharma, Āśrama Eligibility, and the Primacy of Rāja-Dharma (Śānti Parva 63)

Devanagari script

षट्कर्मसम्प्रवृत्तस्य आश्रमेषु चतुर्ष्वपि । सर्वधर्मोपपन्नस्य संवृतस्थ कृतात्मन:

Transliteration

ṣaṭkarma-sampravṛttasya āśrameṣu caturṣv api | sarva-dharmopapannasya saṃvṛta-stha kṛtātmanaḥ ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira nói: “Xin hãy nói cho ta về hạnh kiểm của người chuyên cần thực hành sáu bổn phận đã định, an trú trong bất cứ một trong bốn āśrama, đầy đủ mọi phương diện của dharma, tự chế và vững vàng trong vị trí của mình, và đã chế ngự được chính mình.”

Word by Word

• षट्कर्मसम्प्रवृत्तस्य: of one engaged in the six duties
• षट्कर्मसम्प्रवृत्तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट्कर्मसम्प्रवृत्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• आश्रमेषु: in the āśramas (stages of life)
• आश्रमेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• चतुर्षु: in the four
• चतुर्षु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• सर्वधर्मोपपन्नस्य: of one endowed with all dharmas
• सर्वधर्मोपपन्नस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वधर्मोपपन्न
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• संवृतस्थ: standing restrained/controlled
• संवृतस्थ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संवृतस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृतात्मनः: of the self-controlled (one who has mastered himself)
• कृतात्मनः: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

युधिषछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical ideal: a person who fulfills prescribed duties (ṣaṭkarma), can live rightly within any life-stage (the four āśramas), embodies comprehensive dharma, and is marked by restraint and self-mastery. It emphasizes that true righteousness is not merely ritual or status, but disciplined character and steady conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira continues his inquiry into dharma after the war. Here he asks for guidance about the proper conduct and qualities of an exemplary person—one engaged in obligatory duties and established in the āśrama framework—seeking a clear standard for righteous living.