Shloka 44

Devanagari script

भुज्जानो यावकं रूक्ष॑ दीर्घकालमरिंदम । एकाहारो विशुद्धात्मा योगी बलमवाप्नुयात्‌,शत्रुदमन नरेश! जो दीर्घकालतक एक समय जौका रूखा दलिया खाता है, वह योगी शुद्धचित होकर योगबलकी प्राप्ति कर सकता है

Transliteration

bhujjāno yāvakaṁ rūkṣaṁ dīrghakālam ariṁdama | ekāhāro viśuddhātmā yogī balam avāpnuyāt ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “O subduer of foes, if a man for a long time lives on a single daily meal of coarse barley-gruel, keeping his inner being pure and restrained, then as a yogin he may attain strength born of disciplined practice.”

Word by Word

भुज्जानःeating

यावकम्barley (food)

रूक्षम्dry, ununctuous

दीर्घकालम्for a long time

अरिंदमO foe-subduer

एकाहारःhaving one meal (a day)

विशुद्धात्माpure-souled, purified in mind

योगीa yogin

बलम्strength, power

अवाप्नुयात्may obtain, could attain

शत्रुदमनO subduer of enemies

नरेशO king

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

King (addressed as ariṁdama / nara-īśa, i.e., Yudhishthira in context)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sustained austerity—simple food, moderation (one meal a day), and inner purity—can generate yogic strength; true power is cultivated through disciplined restraint rather than indulgence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs the king on dharma and right conduct; here he gives a practical example of ascetic regimen, explaining how long-term regulated living supports yogic attainment and inner power.