Shloka 44
आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
आचार्यमथवाप्यन्यं तथायुर्विन्दते महत् | सायंकालमें न सोये, नित्य स्नान करे और सदा पवित्रतापूर्वक रहे। सूर्योदय होनेतक कभी न सोये। यदि किसी दिन ऐसा हो जाय तो प्रायश्षित्त करे। प्रतिदिन प्रातःकाल सोकर उठनेके बाद पहले माता-पिताको प्रणाम करे। फिर आचार्य तथा अन्य गुरुजनोंका अभिवादन करे। इससे दीर्घायु प्राप्त होती है || ४३ $ ।। वर्जयेद् दन्तकाष्ठानि वर्जनीयानि नित्यश:
ācāryam athavāpy anyaṃ tathāyur vindate mahat | varjayet dantakāṣṭhāni varjanīyāni nityaśaḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: By respectfully approaching and honoring one’s teacher—or any other venerable elder—one gains great longevity. One should also, every day, avoid those tooth-sticks (dantakāṣṭhas) that are forbidden to use. The teaching emphasizes disciplined daily conduct, reverence to elders, and careful observance of purity-rules as supports for health, long life, and dharmic living.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Longevity and well-being are supported by disciplined daily conduct: honoring one’s teacher and elders, maintaining purity, and carefully avoiding practices deemed improper (such as using forbidden tooth-sticks).
In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma continues instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and proper conduct (ācāra), giving practical daily rules—here, stressing reverence to gurus and avoidance of prohibited items like certain dantakāṣṭhas.