Shloka 17
Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Ātma-saṃyama (Marks of Social Conduct and Self-Restraint) | वर्णलक्षणम् एवं आत्मसंयमः
समुन्नमग्रतो वस्त्र पश्चाच्छुध्यति कर्मणा । उपवासै: प्रतप्तानां दीर्घ सुखमनन्तकम्
samunnam agrato vastraṁ paścāc chudhyati karmaṇā | upavāsaiḥ prataptānāṁ dīrghaṁ sukham anantakam ||
ভীষ্মে ক’লে—যেনেকৈ আগতে ক্ষাৰ আদি দ্ৰব্যত ভিজাই থোৱা কাপোৰ পাছত ধোৱাৰ ক্ৰিয়াৰে পৰিষ্কাৰ হয়, তেনেকৈ উপবাসে তপ্ত হৈ যিসকলে তপস্যা কৰে, তেওঁলোকে দীঘলীয়া আৰু অন্তহীন মহাসুখ লাভ কৰে।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Fasting undertaken as disciplined austerity (tapas) purifies the practitioner and yields enduring, even ‘endless,’ well-being; purification is presented as a process—preparation plus sustained effort—like washing a pre-treated cloth.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhishma continues advising by using a household analogy (cloth cleaned after being treated) to explain how ascetic practices—especially fasting—lead to inner purification and lasting happiness.