Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 17

Adhyāya 119: Vyāsa–Kīṭa-saṃvāda

Tapas-bala and karmic ascent across yoni

Devanagari script

दुष्करं च रसज्ञाने मांसस्य परिवर्जनम्‌ | चर्तु व्रतमिदं श्रेष्ठ सर्वप्राण्यभयप्रदम्‌

Transliteration

Bhīṣma uvāca: duṣkaraṁ ca rasajñāne māṁsasya parivarjanam | catur-vratam idaṁ śreṣṭhaṁ sarva-prāṇy-abhaya-pradam ||

Translation

Bhishma said: For one who has come to know and relish the taste, giving up meat is indeed difficult. Yet this fourfold vow is the highest, for it grants fearlessness to all living beings.

Word by Word

• दुष्करम्: difficult (to do)
• दुष्करम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• रसज्ञाने: in/for one who knows taste; in the matter of taste-appreciation
• रसज्ञाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रसज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मांसस्य: of meat
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• परिवर्जनम्: abstaining; avoidance
• परिवर्जनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि√वृज्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एतत्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• व्रतम्: vow; observance
• व्रतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• श्रेष्ठम्: best; excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• सर्वप्राणि-अभय-प्रदम्: granting fearlessness to all living beings
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वप्राण्यभयप्रद
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even if abstaining from meat is difficult for someone accustomed to its taste, the ethical ideal is to undertake the highest discipline that ensures non-harm—granting safety and fearlessness to all living beings.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva’s dharma-instruction setting, Bhishma continues advising on righteous conduct, emphasizing the moral excellence of vows grounded in ahimsa and the challenge of overcoming sensory attachment.