Shloka 74
आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
तस्य वेद: प्रणश्येत आयुश्च परिहीयते । तस्माद् युक्तो हानध्याये नाधीयीत कदाचन,प्राचीन इतिहासके जानकार लोग इस विषयमें यमराजकी गायी हुई गाथा सुनाया करते हैं। (यमराज कहते हैं--) “जो मनुष्य जूठे मुँह उठकर दौड़ता और स्वाध्याय करता है, मैं उसकी आयु नष्ट कर देता हूँ और उसकी संतानोंको भी उससे छीन लेता हूँ। जो द्विज मोहवश अनध्यायके समय भी अध्ययन करता है, उसके वैदिक ज्ञान और आयुका भी नाश हो जाता है।' अतः सावधान पुरुषको निषिद्ध समयमें कभी वेदोंका अध्ययन नहीं करना चाहिये
tasya vedaḥ praṇaśyet āyuś ca parihīyate | tasmād yukto 'nadhyāye nādhīyīta kadācana ||
Bhīṣma said: “For such a person, the Veda—its learning and its efficacy—is ruined, and his lifespan diminishes. Therefore, a disciplined man should never study during times prohibited for recitation (anadhyāya).”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vedic study (svādhyāya) must be governed by discipline and purity: reciting at forbidden times (anadhyāya) or in an impure state is said to destroy the benefit of Vedic learning and shorten one’s lifespan; therefore one should refrain from study during prohibited periods.
Bhīṣma instructs on proper conduct regarding Vedic recitation, citing traditional lore in which Yama warns of severe consequences for studying with an impure mouth or during anadhyāya; Bhīṣma concludes with a clear injunction to avoid Vedic study at such times.