Shloka 14

Kṣātra-dharma as the Public Foundation of Dharma (क्षात्रधर्म-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

भेक्ष्यचर्या ततः प्राहुस्तस्य तद्धर्मचारिण: । तथा वैश्यस्य राजेन्द्र राजपुत्रस्य चैव हि

Transliteration

bheṣyacaryā tataḥ prāhus tasya tad-dharmacāriṇaḥ | tathā vaiśyasya rājendra rājaputrasya caiva hi |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“此后，对于遵行该等戒律之人，众人宣称其生计当以乞食为业。同样地，噢，王者啊，此规亦为吠舍而设，亦及于刹帝利之王子。”

Word by Word

• भैक्ष्यचर्याम्: life by begging (mendicancy as livelihood)
• भैक्ष्यचर्याम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैक्ष्यचर्या
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• ततः: then/thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• प्राहुः: they said/declared
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• तस्य: of him/of that
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तत्: that (practice/rule)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मचारिणः: those who practice that dharma
• धर्मचारिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मचारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: likewise/so too
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• वैश्यस्य: of the Vaiśya
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• राजेन्द्र: O king (lord of kings)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• राजपुत्रस्य: of the king’s son (prince)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• हि: for/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Yudhishthira (implied by rājendra)
• Vaiśya
• Kṣatriya prince (rājaputra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That, when one undertakes the previously described discipline of dharma, subsistence through alms (bhikṣā) is sanctioned—not only for one group but also stated as applicable to the Vaiśya and even to a Kṣatriya prince under such a regimen.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva dialogue, Bhishma continues instructing the king on rules of conduct and permissible livelihoods; here he notes that begging for sustenance is an accepted provision for those practicing the stated dharma, extending the point to the Vaiśya and a royal prince.