आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
अवलोक्यो न चादर्शो मलिनो बुद्धिमत्तरै: । न चाज्ञातां स्त्रियं गच्छेद् गर्भिणीं वा कदाचन
avalokyo na cādarśo malino buddhimattaraiḥ | na cājñātāṃ striyaṃ gacched garbhiṇīṃ vā kadācana ||
Bhishma mengajarkan tata laku bijak: seorang yang sungguh cerdas tidak sepatutnya memandang wajahnya pada cermin yang kotor. Ia juga tidak boleh mendekati perempuan yang tidak dikenal—atau perempuan yang sedang hamil—kapan pun.
भीष्म उवाच
Maintain purity and discretion: avoid degrading or misleading self-regard (the dirty mirror) and avoid morally risky or socially harmful encounters (approaching unknown women or pregnant women).
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma and proper conduct, he lists practical prohibitions meant to guide a householder’s behavior and protect personal integrity and social order.