Shloka 64
आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
ऊर्ध्व प्राणा ह्ुत्क्रामन्ति यून: स्थविर आयति
ūrdhva-prāṇā hutkrāmanti yūnaḥ sthavira āyati
Bhīṣma dit : «Chez les jeunes, les souffles vitaux (prāṇa) tendent à monter et à s’en aller ; chez les vieillards, ils se meuvent lentement et viennent avec peine.» Dans cette méditation sur le déclin du corps, le verset rappelle l’inéluctable vieillissement et la nécessité d’une vie disciplinée et détachée, car les puissances de la vie ne demeurent pas stables.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Life’s energies are unstable and change with age: youth is marked by quick, upward-moving vitality that can suddenly depart, while old age brings slow, difficult bodily functioning. Recognizing this impermanence supports dharmic restraint, humility, and detachment from bodily pride.
Bhīṣma, in his instruction during the Anuśāsana Parva, is describing physiological signs of youth and old age to ground a moral lesson: human life is transient, so one should live with discipline and awareness rather than complacency.