Shloka 2

आचारप्रशंसा

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

Devanagari script

आयुष्मान्‌ केन भवति अल्पायुर्वापि मानव: | केन वा लभते कीर्ति केन वा लभते श्रियम्‌

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |

āyuṣmān kena bhavati alpāyur vāpi mānavaḥ |

kena vā labhate kīrtiṁ kena vā labhate śriyam ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira dijo: «¿Por qué llega una persona a ser longeva, y por qué un ser humano llega a ser de vida corta? ¿Por qué se alcanza la fama, y por qué se obtiene la prosperidad?»

Word by Word

• आयुष्मान्: long-lived, possessing life (longevity)
• आयुष्मान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयुष्मत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• केन: by what? by which means?
• केन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भवति: becomes / is
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अल्पायुḥ: short-lived
• अल्पायुḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्पायु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also / even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• मानवः: a man, human being
• मानवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• केन: by what? by which means?
• केन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• लभते: obtains, gains
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• कीर्तिम्: fame, renown
• कीर्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• केन: by what? by which means?
• केन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• लभते: obtains, gains
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• श्रियम्: prosperity, fortune, wealth
• श्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames longevity, fame, and prosperity as outcomes with discernible causes, inviting a dharmic explanation: human well-being is not random but connected to one’s conduct, virtues, and ethical choices.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction setting, Yudhiṣṭhira asks an elder authority for guidance, posing foundational questions about what actions and qualities lead to long life, or shorten life, and what brings renown and material fortune.