Shloka 138
मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity
जुद्वन्नग्नींक्ष नियत: संध्योपासनसेविता । बहुभिननियमैरेवं शुचिरश्षाति यो नर:
juhvann agnīn kṣaṇ-niyataḥ sandhyopāsana-sevitaḥ | bahubhir niyamair evaṁ śucir aśnāti yo naraḥ ||
Bhīṣma sprach: „Ein Mann, der regelmäßig Opfergaben in die heiligen Feuer darbringt, der zu den vorgeschriebenen Zeiten in Zucht lebt, der die Sandhyā-Verehrung (Gebete bei Morgendämmerung und Abenddämmerung) treu vollzieht und so nach vielen Observanzen lebt—ein solcher, durch diese Selbstzucht gereinigt, nimmt seine Speise in Reinheit und Rechtschaffenheit zu sich.“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Purity in eating and living is grounded in disciplined daily religious practice—maintaining sacred fires, performing sandhyā worship, and following multiple niyamas (ethical-ritual restraints).
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he describes the conduct of a disciplined householder/observer: one who performs fire-offerings and sandhyā rites and follows many observances, thereby becoming fit to eat in a state of purity.