Shloka 73

Tapas, Tīrtha, and Moral Rehabilitation (Śānti-parva 148)

Devanagari script

उपवासैर्बहुविधैश्वरिष्ये पारलौकिकम्‌ । “भूख

Transliteration

upavāsair bahuvidhaiś cariṣye pāralaukikam |

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “By observing many kinds of fasts, I shall undertake acts of merit aimed at the welfare of the next world. Enduring hunger, thirst, and the heat of the sun, I will weaken the body so greatly that the veins spread throughout it become clearly visible—thus disciplining the senses and directing my effort toward otherworldly good.”

Word by Word

• उपवासैः: by fasts
• उपवासैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• बहुविधैः: of many kinds
• बहुविधैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुविध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• चरिष्ये: I shall practice/undertake
• चरिष्ये: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पारलौकिकम्: otherworldly (merit/benefit)
• पारलौकिकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारलौकिक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes tapas through disciplined fasting as an ethical-spiritual practice: restraining bodily appetites and enduring hardship can be directed toward puṇya (merit) and pāralaukika (otherworldly) welfare, aligning personal conduct with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s discourse in the Shanti Parva, he describes a resolve to perform rigorous austerities—especially repeated, varied fasts—enduring hunger, thirst, and heat, as a means of spiritual purification and securing well-being in the next world.