Shloka 5

Brāhmaṇa-pūjā and Namaskāra: Criteria of Reverence and Non-Offense (ब्राह्मणपूजा-नमस्कारविधिः)

Devanagari script

आमिषं शीर्षतो यस्य पादतो यश्च संविशेत्‌ । तत उच्छिष्टका: सर्वे बहुच्छिद्राक्ष मानवा:,प्रमथ बोले--जो मनुष्य सदा स्त्री-सहवासके कारण दूषित रहते, बड़ोंका अपमान करते, मूर्खतावश मांस खाते, वृक्षकी जड़में सोते, सिरपर मांसका बोझा ढोते, बिछौनोंपर पैर रखनेकी जगह सिर रखकर सोते, वे सब-के-सब मनुष्य उच्छिष्ट (अपवित्र) तथा बहुत- से छिद्रोंवाले माने गये हैं। जो पानीमें मल-मूत्र एवं थूक फेकते हैं, वे भी उच्छिष्टकी ही कोटिमें आते हैं। ये सभी मानव हमारी दृष्टिमें भक्षण और वधके योग्य हैं। इसमें संशय नहीं है

Transliteration

āmiṣaṁ śīrṣato yasya pādato yaś ca saṁviśet | tata ucchiṣṭakāḥ sarve bahucchidrakṣa mānavāḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “Those who carry meat upon their heads, or who lie down placing their feet where the head should be—such people are all regarded as ‘ucchiṣṭa’ (ritually tainted, like remnants), and as humans marked by many ‘openings’ (impure vulnerabilities).”

Word by Word

• {'āmiṣam (आमिषम्)': 'meat

• also ‘bait’ in other contexts, here meat as impure food', 'śīrṣataḥ (शीर्षतः)': 'upon/at the head

• from the head-side', 'yasya (यस्य)': 'of whom

• whose', 'pādataḥ (पादतः)': 'at the feet

• from the foot-side', 'yaḥ (यः)': 'who', 'ca (च)': 'and', 'saṁviśet (संविशेत्)': 'would lie down

• enter into a lying posture', 'tataḥ (ततः)': 'therefore

• as a result', 'ucchiṣṭakāḥ (उच्छिष्टकाः)': 'those who are like ‘leftovers’

• ritually defiled/tainted persons', 'sarve (सर्वे)': 'all', 'bahu (बहु)': 'many

• much', 'chidra (छिद्र)': 'hole

• defect', 'akṣa (अक्ष)': 'eye

• in compounds can suggest ‘organ/mark’', 'mānavāḥ (मानवाः)': 'human beings

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma emphasizes that dharma is upheld not only by grand vows but also by everyday discipline—especially in food and bodily conduct. Actions that invert or disrespect norms of cleanliness and propriety are treated as signs of inner disorder and ethical decline.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma is delivering didactic guidance on right conduct. Here he lists behaviors he deems impure or degrading, using vivid examples (carrying meat on the head; sleeping with feet where the head should be) to classify such people as ‘ucchiṣṭa’—ritually tainted.