Shloka 636
आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
सूर्याचन्द्रमसौ चैव नक्षत्राणि च सर्वश: । उच्छिष्ट मनुष्यको सूर्य, चन्द्रमा और नक्षत्र--इन त्रिविध तेजोंकी ओर कभी दृष्टि नहीं डालनी चाहिये
sūryācandramasau caiva nakṣatrāṇi ca sarvaśaḥ | ucchiṣṭa-manusyako sūrya, candramā aura nakṣatra—ina trividha tejõ kī ora kabhī dṛṣṭi nahīṃ ḍālnī cāhiye ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Qu’on ne porte jamais son regard vers le Soleil, la Lune, ni vers les étoiles en général, lorsqu’on se trouve en état d’impureté rituelle (par exemple après avoir mangé des restes). Ces trois-là sont des sources de radiance sacrée ; la révérence requiert retenue et pureté dans la manière de les approcher.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Maintain ritual and ethical discipline: when one is in an impure state (especially connected with food remnants), one should avoid directing one’s gaze toward the Sun, Moon, and stars, treating their radiance as sacred and approached with cleanliness and restraint.
In the Anushasana Parva, Bhishma is instructing Yudhishthira on dharma and proper conduct (ācāra). This verse is part of a set of practical rules governing purity, reverence, and everyday behavior.