Shloka 31
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
राज्ञा वा समनुज्ञात: काम॑ कुर्वीत धार्मिक: । तस्य वृत्तिं प्रवक्ष्यामि यच्च तस्योपजीवनम्
rājñā vā samanujñātaḥ kāmaṁ kurvīta dhārmikaḥ | tasya vṛttiṁ pravakṣyāmi yac ca tasyopajīvanam ||
毗湿摩说道：“又或者，若得国王依法许可，守法之人亦可随其所愿从事某种正当事业。今我将宣说其相应的生计之道——赖以自养之法——使其生活常与达摩相应。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even personal choice in action (kāmaṁ kurvīta) should be exercised within the framework of dharma and legitimate social authority; when the king grants permission, a righteous person may proceed, and one’s livelihood should be explained and chosen in a dharma-consistent way.
Bhishma continues his instruction in the Shanti Parva, transitioning into a discussion of proper occupations and means of subsistence, stating that with royal authorization a dharmic person may undertake desired work, and then promising to detail the appropriate livelihood.