Shloka 13
Jñāna-yoga and Karma-phala: Manu–Bṛhaspati on Akṣara and the Limits of Mantra
लोष्टमर्दा तृणच्छेदी नखखादी तु यो नरः । नित्योच्छिष्ट: शंकुशुको नेहायुर्विन्दते महत्
loṣṭamardā tṛṇacchedī nakhakhādī tu yo naraḥ | nityocchiṣṭaḥ śaṅkuśuko nehāyur vindate mahat ||
Bhīṣma dit : L’homme qui, par désœuvrement, écrase des mottes de terre, brise des brins d’herbe et se ronge les ongles ; qui demeure d’ordinaire impur—les mains et la bouche toujours souillées—et qui vit dans la dépendance comme un perroquet attaché à un piquet, n’obtient pas une longue vie en ce monde.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma warns that habitual restlessness (idle destructive fidgeting), lack of cleanliness (being constantly ucchiṣṭa/impure), and a dependent, unfree mode of life (like a tethered parrot) undermine one’s vitality and do not lead to long life. The verse promotes śauca (purity), self-control, and dignified independence as supports of well-being.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira by listing behaviors and dispositions that are considered inauspicious for longevity. This verse presents a compact behavioral portrait—fidgeting, nail-biting, habitual impurity, and servile dependence—and states its consequence: diminished lifespan.