Shloka 5
नागभायोवाच शिष्याणां गुरुशुश्रूषा विप्राणां वेदधारणम् । भृत्यानां स्वामिवचनं राज्ञो लोकानुपालनम्
nāgabhāryovāca—śiṣyāṇāṁ guruśuśrūṣā viprāṇāṁ vedadhāraṇam | bhṛtyānāṁ svāmivacanaṁ rājño lokānupālanam ||
那伽之妻说道：“弟子之达摩，在于恭谨侍奉师长；婆罗门之达摩，在于守持并弘护吠陀；仆从之达摩，在于奉行主人的命令；而国王之达摩，在于恒常护佑百姓、使其安乐。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse defines role-based dharma: disciples serve and learn from the teacher, brahmins preserve the Vedas, servants obey rightful commands, and kings protect and sustain the people—each station is measured by faithful performance of its responsibility.
Within Bhīṣma’s discourse in the Śānti Parva, a Nāga wife is quoted as articulating a concise ethical taxonomy of duties, using familiar social roles to illustrate how dharma operates through responsibility and protection rather than mere status.