Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

शूद्रेण तु न हातव्यो भर्ता कस्याज्चिदापदि । अतिरेकेण भर्तव्यो भर्ता द्रव्यपरिक्षये

Transliteration

śūdreṇa tu na hātavyo bhartā kasyācid āpadi | atirekeṇa bhartavyo bhartā dravya-parikṣaye ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“即便在困厄之时，首陀罗也不可弃主，亦不可加害于主。反而在情势所迫之际——尤其当主人的财物耗尽——更当以格外的照拂扶养其主。”

Word by Word

• शूद्रेण: by a Shudra
• शूद्रेण: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हातव्यः: is not to be abandoned
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (जहाति)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive sense

• भर्ता: the master/lord (protector)
• भर्ता: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कस्यचित्: of anyone
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• आपदि: in calamity/distress
• आपदि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपद्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• अतिरेकेण: with extra effort/abundantly
• अतिरेकेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिरेक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• भर्तव्यः: is to be maintained/supported
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (भरति)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive sense

• भर्ता: the master
• भर्ता: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्रव्यपरिक्षये: when wealth is exhausted
• द्रव्यपरिक्षये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य-परिक्षय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śūdra
• bhartā (master/protector)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches steadfast duty: a servant (here, a Śūdra) should not forsake his master in crisis, and should instead provide heightened support, especially when the master’s resources are depleted.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s dharma-instruction setting, Bhīṣma is laying down norms of conduct and social obligations, specifying how service should intensify when the master faces adversity or loss of wealth.