Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 92

आचारप्रशंसा

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

Devanagari script

पिप्पलं च वर्ट चैव शणशाकं तथैव च । उदुम्बरं न खादेच्च भवार्थी पुरुषोत्तम:,अपना कल्याण चाहनेवाले श्रेष्ठ पुरुषको पीपल, बड़ और गूलरके फलका तथा सनके सागका सेवन नहीं करना चाहिये

Transliteration

pippalaṃ ca vaṭaṃ caiva śaṇaśākaṃ tathaiva ca | udumbaraṃ na khādec ca bhavārthī puruṣottamaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma dit : «Ô le meilleur des hommes, celui qui recherche son bien et son progrès spirituel doit s’abstenir de manger les fruits du pippala (figuier sacré), du vaṭa (banyan) et de l’udumbara (figuier en grappes), et doit pareillement éviter le śaṇaśāka (feuilles de śaṇa/lin).»

Word by Word

• पिप्पलं: pippala (sacred fig) fruit/tree (as food item)
• पिप्पलं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिप्पल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वटं: banyan (as food item/fruit)
• वटं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वट
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• शणशाकं: vegetable/greens of flax/hemp (śaṇa)
• शणशाकं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शणशाक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: likewise/so
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• उदुम्बरं: udumbara (cluster fig/gular) (as food item/fruit)
• उदुम्बरं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदुम्बर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• खादेत्: should eat
• Type: Verb
• Root: खाद्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• भवार्थी: one desiring welfare/prosperity (his own good)
• भवार्थी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भवार्थिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरुषोत्तमः: best of men (O excellent man)
• पुरुषोत्तमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषोत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• pippala (sacred fig tree)
• vaṭa (banyan tree)
• udumbara (cluster fig tree)
• śaṇa (flax/linseed plant)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches disciplined restraint in diet as part of dharma: a person seeking true welfare (bhavārthī) should avoid certain foods—specified fruits and greens—implying that ethical-spiritual well-being is supported by regulated consumption.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma is instructing the listener (addressed as puruṣottama, “best of men”) on codes of conduct. Here he gives a specific dietary injunction, listing items to be avoided by one intent on personal and spiritual good.