Shloka 13
Jñāna-yoga and Karma-phala: Manu–Bṛhaspati on Akṣara and the Limits of Mantra
लोष्टमर्दा तृणच्छेदी नखखादी तु यो नरः । नित्योच्छिष्ट: शंकुशुको नेहायुर्विन्दते महत्,जो मनुष्य मिट्टीके ढेले फोड़ता, तिनके तोड़ता, नख चबाता, सदा जूठे हाथ और जूठे मुँह रहता है तथा खूँटीमें बँधे हुए तोतेके समान पराधीन जीवन बिताता है, उसे इस जगतमें बड़ी आयु नहीं मिलती
loṣṭamardā tṛṇacchedī nakhakhādī tu yo naraḥ | nityocchiṣṭaḥ śaṅkuśuko nehāyur vindate mahat ||
Bhīṣma sprach: Wer müßig Erdklumpen zerdrückt, Grashalme abknickt und an den Nägeln kaut; wer gewohnheitsmäßig unrein bleibt—mit stets schmutzigen Händen und Mund—und in Abhängigkeit lebt wie ein an einen Pflock gebundener Papagei, erlangt in dieser Welt kein langes Leben.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma warns that habitual restlessness (idle destructive fidgeting), lack of cleanliness (being constantly ucchiṣṭa/impure), and a dependent, unfree mode of life (like a tethered parrot) undermine one’s vitality and do not lead to long life. The verse promotes śauca (purity), self-control, and dignified independence as supports of well-being.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira by listing behaviors and dispositions that are considered inauspicious for longevity. This verse presents a compact behavioral portrait—fidgeting, nail-biting, habitual impurity, and servile dependence—and states its consequence: diminished lifespan.