Shloka 183
आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
तस्मात् तिछेत् सदा पूर्वा पश्चिमां चैव वाग्यतः । ग्रहण और मध्याह्नके समय भी सूर्यकी ओर दृष्टिपात न करे तथा जलनमें स्थित सूर्यके प्रतिबिम्बकी ओर भी न देखे। ऋषियोंने प्रतिदिन संध्योपासन करनेसे ही दीर्घ आयु प्राप्त की थी। इसलिये सदा मौन रहकर द्विजमात्रको प्रात:काल और सायंकालकी संध्या अवश्य करनी चाहिये
tasmāt tiṣṭhet sadā pūrvāṃ paścimāṃ caiva vāgyataḥ | grahaṇe madhyāhnake kāle ca sūryasya na dṛṣṭipātaṃ kuryāt, jalasthaṃ sūryapratibimbaṃ ca na paśyet | ṛṣayaḥ pratidinaṃ sandhyopāsanenaiva dīrgham āyuḥ prāpuḥ | tasmāt sadā maunaṃ kṛtvā dvijamātreṇa prātaḥkāla-sāyaṃkāla-sandhyā nityaṃ kartavyā ||
Bhīṣma said: Therefore one should remain disciplined in speech and conduct, keeping to proper orientation and restraint. At the time of an eclipse and at midday one should not gaze at the sun, nor look at the sun’s reflection when it appears in water. The sages attained long life precisely through daily worship at the twilight junctions (sandhyā). Hence, maintaining silence and self-control, every twice-born should unfailingly perform the morning and evening sandhyā rites.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma emphasizes disciplined restraint—especially control of speech and senses—and prescribes daily sandhyā observance as a sustaining dharmic practice, associated with purity, longevity, and steadiness of life.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma continues instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. Here he gives practical rules of conduct—avoiding gazing at the sun at certain times and maintaining regular sandhyā worship—presented as traditional guidance validated by the example of the ṛṣis.