Shloka 36

आचारप्रशंसा

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

Devanagari script

नास्तिक्यं वेदनिन्दां च देवतानां च कुत्सनम्‌ । देषस्तम्भो5भिमानं च तैक्ष्ण्यं च परिवर्जयेत्‌

Transliteration

nāstikyaṁ vedanindāṁ ca devatānāṁ ca kutsanam | dveṣa-stambho 'bhimānaṁ ca taikṣṇyaṁ ca parivarjayet ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: Man soll gottloses Unglauben, Verachtung der Veden und die Herabsetzung der Götter ablegen; ebenso soll man Bosheit, starrsinnige Überheblichkeit, Stolz und Härte aufgeben. Diese Fehler zersetzen das Dharma; darum muss sie verwerfen, wer nach rechtem Wandel strebt.

Word by Word

• नास्तिक्यम्: atheism/denial (of Veda, God)
• नास्तिक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नास्तिक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वेदनिन्दाम्: censure of the Veda
• वेदनिन्दाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदनिन्दा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

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

• देवतानाम्: of the deities
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

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

• कुत्सनम्: reviling/abuse
• कुत्सनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुत्सन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• द्वेषम्: hatred
• द्वेषम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वेष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• स्तम्भम्: arrogance/obstinacy (stiffness)
• स्तम्भम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तम्भ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभिमानम्: pride/conceit
• अभिमानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिमान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• तैक्ष्ण्यम्: harshness/sharpness
• तैक्ष्ण्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तैक्ष्ण्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• परिवर्जयेत्: should avoid/abandon
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि√वृज्
• Form: Vidhi-ling (Optative), Present-system, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Vedas
• Devatās (gods)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse instructs the aspirant in dharma to abandon specific inner and outer vices—denial of sacred-moral order, contempt for scripture and deities, hatred, stubborn self-assertion, pride, and harshness—because these dispositions undermine righteous conduct and social harmony.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma, lying on the bed of arrows, continues his extended instruction on dharma to Yudhiṣṭhira. Here he lists faults to be renounced as part of ethical discipline and proper conduct.