Shloka 35

Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)

Devanagari script

देय: पिण्डो5नपत्याय भर्तव्यौ वृद्धदुर्बली

Transliteration

deyaḥ piṇḍo 'napatyāya, bhartavyau vṛddha-durbalau; yadi svāmī santāna-hīnaḥ syāt, tadā śuśrūṣaṇena śūdreṇa tasmai piṇḍa-dānaṃ kartavyam. yadi svāmī vṛddho vā durbalo vā syāt, tadā sarvathā tasya bharaṇa-poṣaṇaṃ kartavyam. āpadi api śūdrair na svāmī parityaktavyaḥ. yadi svāmi-dhanasya nāśaḥ syāt, tadā śūdreṇa sva-kuṭumba-pālanāt avaśiṣṭena dhanena tasya bharaṇaṃ kartavyam.

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“若主人无子，当为其行施食团（piṇḍa）之丧祭。若主人年迈或羸弱，须以诸般方式扶养照护。即便在困厄之时，服役的首陀罗也不可弃主而去。若主人的财物尽失，首陀罗当在供养自家之后，以所余之资奉养其主。”

Word by Word

• deyaḥ: to be given / should be offered
• deyaḥ: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deya (√dā + ya, gerundive)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• piṇḍaḥ: funeral rice-ball offering (piṇḍa)
• piṇḍaḥ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṇḍa
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• anapatyāya: to/for one without offspring
• anapatyāya: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: anapatya
• Form: masculine, dative, singular

• bhartavyau: should be maintained/supported (two persons)
• bhartavyau: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhartavya (√bhṛ + tavya, gerundive)
• Form: masculine, nominative, dual

• vṛddha-durbalau: the old and the weak (two)
• vṛddha-durbalau: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛddha + durbala
• Form: masculine, nominative, dual

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śūdra
• svāmī (master)
• piṇḍa (funeral offering)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches a service-based dharma: one who serves (here, a Śūdra attendant) must uphold obligations of care—performing piṇḍa for a childless master, supporting an aged or infirm master, and not abandoning him even in hardship; if the master loses wealth, support should continue from whatever surplus remains after maintaining one’s own household.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s dharma instruction, Bhīṣma is advising Yudhiṣṭhira on duties within social and household relationships, specifying the responsibilities of a serving Śūdra toward his master, especially regarding end-of-life rites and ongoing maintenance during adversity.