Shloka 30

आचारप्रशंसा

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

Devanagari script

अष्टम्यां सर्वपक्षाणां ब्रह्मचारी सदा भवेत्‌ | आक्रोशं परिवादं च पैशुन्यं च विवर्जयेत्‌

Transliteration

aṣṭamyāṃ sarvapakṣāṇāṃ brahmacārī sadā bhavet | ākrośaṃ parivādaṃ ca paiśunyaṃ ca vivarjayet |

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Am aṣṭamī, dem achten Mondtag beider Monatshälften, soll man ausnahmslos brahmacarya (sexuelle Enthaltsamkeit) wahren. Ebenso soll man Schmährede, Verleumdung und das Weitertragen von Gerede meiden.“

Word by Word

• अष्टम्याम्: on the eighth (tithi)
• अष्टम्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• सर्वपक्षाणाम्: of all fortnights
• सर्वपक्षाणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वपक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• ब्रह्मचारी: a celibate (brahmacārin)
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• भवेत्: should be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• आक्रोशम्: abusive shouting
• आक्रोशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आक्रोश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परिवादम्: slander
• परिवादम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिवाद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• पैशुन्यम्: malicious tale-bearing
• पैशुन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पैशुन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• विवर्जयेत्: should avoid
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + वर्ज्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches disciplined conduct on sacred lunar days—especially Aṣṭamī in both fortnights—by maintaining brahmacarya and practicing ethical speech: avoiding abuse, defamation, and malicious gossip.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma continues his instruction on dharma and proper conduct, prescribing specific observances (vratas) and moral restraints, here focusing on celibacy/sexual restraint and purity of speech.