Shloka 28
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
Devanagari script
प्रजापतिर्हि वर्णानां दासं शूद्रमकल्पयत् । तस्माच्छुद्रस्य वर्णानां परिचर्या विधीयते
Transliteration
prajāpatir hi varṇānāṃ dāsaṃ śūdram akalpayat | tasmāc chūdrasya varṇānāṃ paricaryā vidhīyate ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“因为生主（Prajāpati）造作首陀罗（Śūdra），使其为诸种姓（varṇa）之侍从。故首陀罗之所当行者，即依经所定，侍奉并服事其余诸种姓。”
Word by Word
प्रजापतिःPrajapati (the creator)
प्रजापतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootप्रजापति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
वर्णानाम्of the varnas (social classes)
वर्णानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ण
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
दासम्a servant
दासम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदास
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
शूद्रम्the Shudra
शूद्रम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootशूद्र
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अकल्पयत्created/ordained/made
अकल्पयत्:
TypeVerb
Rootकल्पय् (√कॢप्/कल्प् caus.)
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
तस्मात्therefore/from that
तस्मात्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतस्मात् (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
शूद्रस्यof the Shudra
शूद्रस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootशूद्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
वर्णानाम्of the (other) varnas
वर्णानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ण
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
परिचर्याservice/attendance
परिचर्या:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपरिचर्या
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
विधीयतेis prescribed/is enjoined
विधीयते:
TypeVerb
Root√धा (वि + धा)
FormPresent (Laṭ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada (passive sense)
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaP
PrajāpatiŚ
ŚūdraV
VarṇasCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse states a normative rule of varṇa-dharma: the Śūdra’s prescribed role is paricaryā—service/attendance—toward the other varṇas, presented as an ordinance traced to Prajāpati.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and social duties; here he articulates a traditional account of how the Śūdra’s occupational duty is defined within the varṇa framework.