Shloka 86

Devanagari script

तथा नान्यधूृतं धार्य न चापदशमेव च । अन्यदेव भवेद्‌ वास: शयनीये नरोत्तम

Transliteration

tathā nānyadhṛtaṃ dhāryaṃ na cāpadaśam eva ca | anyad eva bhaved vāsaḥ śayanīye narottama ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “So too, one should not keep wearing what has been worn by another; nor should one do so even in times of distress. For a noble man, the garment used for sleeping should be something else, kept separate.”

Word by Word

तथाthus, likewise

नnot

अन्यत्anything else, other (thing)

अधृतम्not held/unsupported; not proper to be held (unfit to wear/keep)

धार्यम्to be worn/borne; fit to be kept

नnot

चand

आपदशम्belonging to calamity/distress; emergency (use)

एवonly, indeed

चand

अन्यत्something else

एवindeed, only

भवेत्should be, would be

वासःgarment, clothing

शयनीयेin/for the bed; in the sleeping place

नर-उत्तमO best of men

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

narottama (addressed listener)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Maintain personal discipline and standards of cleanliness/propriety: do not wear garments already worn by others, and keep sleeping-clothes separate—principles upheld even during hardship.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma and proper conduct, he lays down a practical rule about clothing and personal habits, addressing the listener as “narottama,” and emphasizing that ethical discipline should not be relaxed even in adversity.