Shloka 8
Gārhasthya-Śreṣṭhatā and Kṣatriya-Daṇḍadhāraṇa
Householder Primacy and the Royal Duty of Punishment
तपो यज्ञस्तथा विद्या भैक्ष्यमिन्द्रियसंयम: । ध्यानमेकान्तशीलव्वं तुष्टिज्ञानं च शक्तित:
tapo yajñas tathā vidyā bhaikṣyam indriya-saṁyamaḥ | dhyānam ekānta-śīlatvaṁ tuṣṭi-jñānaṁ ca śaktitaḥ ||
毗耶娑说道：“苦行、祭祀与学问；以乞食为生并调伏诸根；禅定、独处之习与知足，兼具真实的明知——这一切都应随各自能力而修习。”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse lists core disciplines of dharmic life—tapas (austerity), yajña (sacrificial duty), vidyā (learning), mendicant simplicity, sense-restraint, meditation, solitude, contentment, and knowledge—and emphasizes practicing them in proportion to one’s capacity (śaktitaḥ), balancing effort with sustainability.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Vyāsa is instructing on the means to peace and righteousness after the war, outlining a graded set of practices that cultivate inner steadiness and ethical conduct rather than merely external observance.