Shloka 92

आचारप्रशंसा

Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity

Devanagari script

पिप्पलं च वर्ट चैव शणशाकं तथैव च । उदुम्बरं न खादेच्च भवार्थी पुरुषोत्तम:,अपना कल्याण चाहनेवाले श्रेष्ठ पुरुषको पीपल, बड़ और गूलरके फलका तथा सनके सागका सेवन नहीं करना चाहिये

Transliteration

pippalaṃ ca vaṭaṃ caiva śaṇaśākaṃ tathaiva ca | udumbaraṃ na khādec ca bhavārthī puruṣottamaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “O best of men, one who seeks his own welfare and spiritual good should refrain from eating the fruits of the pippala (sacred fig), the vaṭa (banyan), and the udumbara (cluster fig), and likewise should avoid śaṇaśāka (greens of flax/śaṇa).”

Word by Word

पिप्पलंpippala (sacred fig) fruit/tree (as food item)

चand

वटंbanyan (as food item/fruit)

चand

एवindeed/just

शणशाकंvegetable/greens of flax/hemp (śaṇa)

तथाlikewise/so

एवindeed/also

चand

उदुम्बरंudumbara (cluster fig/gular) (as food item/fruit)

नnot

खादेत्should eat

चand

भवार्थीone desiring welfare/prosperity (his own good)

पुरुषोत्तमःbest of men (O excellent man)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

pippala (sacred fig tree)

vaṭa (banyan tree)

udumbara (cluster fig tree)

śaṇa (flax/linseed plant)

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?

The verse teaches disciplined restraint in diet as part of dharma: a person seeking true welfare (bhavārthī) should avoid certain foods—specified fruits and greens—implying that ethical-spiritual well-being is supported by regulated consumption.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma is instructing the listener (addressed as puruṣottama, “best of men”) on codes of conduct. Here he gives a specific dietary injunction, listing items to be avoided by one intent on personal and spiritual good.