Shloka 25
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
षण्णामेकां पिबेद् धेनुं शताच्च मिथुन हरेत् । लब्धाच्च सप्तमं भागं तथा शृड्गे कलां खुरे
ṣaṇṇām ekāṃ pibed dhenuṃ śatāc ca mithunaṃ haret | labdhāc ca saptamaṃ bhāgaṃ tathā śṛṅge kalāṃ khure ||
毗湿摩说道：“若有人替他人照看六头乳牛一年，可饮其中一头之乳为工价；若照看一百头牛，则年终可取一对（母牛一头、公牛一头）为酬。若因售乳等物得利，当取七分之一为薪；售角所得亦只取七分之一。但若售出尤为珍贵的蹄甲，则只应取十六分之一。如此，牧者之酬当依公平比例而定：戒贪护主财，亦使劳者得以养生。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Remuneration should be proportionate and regulated: the worker must receive a fair livelihood, but only within clearly defined limits so that service does not become exploitation of the owner’s wealth.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma in the Shanti Parva, he lays down practical norms for wages in cattle-tending—specifying what may be taken as payment from milk, livestock, and by-products—illustrating ethical governance and fair economic conduct.