Shloka 18

आचारप्रशंसा

Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity

Devanagari script

नोपसूष्टं न वारिस्थं न मध्यं नभसो गतम्‌ | ऋषयो नित्यसंध्यत्वाद्‌ दीर्घमायुरवाप्तुवन्‌

Transliteration

nopasūṣṭaṃ na vāristhaṃ na madhyaṃ nabhaso gatam | ṛṣayo nityasaṃdhyatvād dīrgham āyur avāptuvan

Translation

قال بهيشما: «لم يكن الحكماء يقيمون في مواضع قذرة أو ملوّثة، ولا في أراضٍ مغمورة بالماء، ولا في المنطقة الوسطى من السماء. وبمواظبتهم الدائمة على شعائر السندهيا اليومية نالوا طول العمر».

Word by Word

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

• उपसूष्टम्: over-dried/over-withered
• उपसूष्टम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपसूष्ट
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: nor
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• वारिस्थम्: standing in water/waterlogged
• वारिस्थम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारिस्थ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: nor
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• मध्यम्: middling/medium
• मध्यम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: nor
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• नभसः: of the sky
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• गतम्: gone/entered
• गतम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नित्यसंध्यत्वात्: because of constant twilight-worship (sandhyā)
• नित्यसंध्यत्वात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्यसंध्यत्व
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• दीर्घम्: long
• दीर्घम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आयुः: life, lifespan
• आयुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अवाप्तुवन्: obtained/attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: अवाप्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• ṛṣayaḥ (sages)
• sandhyā (twilight rite)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Longevity and well-being are linked to disciplined daily conduct—especially steadfast observance of sandhyā—and to avoiding unwholesome or improper dwelling-places; ethical life is presented as practical, embodied discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, instructing on dharma and proper conduct, cites the sages’ lifestyle: they avoided impure or unsuitable locations and maintained unwavering sandhyā practice, through which they are said to have attained long life.