Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 49
आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
न भग्ने नावशीर्णे च शयने प्रस्वपीत च । नान्तर्थाने न संयुक्ते न च तिर्यक् कदाचन
na bhagne nāvaśīrṇe ca śayane prasvapīta ca | nāntarthāne na saṃyukte na ca tiryak kadācana ||
Bhishma berkata: “Jangan tidur di ranjang yang patah atau longgar. Jangan berbaring pada dipan yang diletakkan dalam gelap tanpa lebih dulu memeriksanya dengan membawa cahaya. Jangan tidur bersama orang lain pada ranjang yang sama. Dan jangan pernah tidur melintang; berbaringlah lurus.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma includes careful, disciplined daily conduct: avoid unsafe or improper sleeping arrangements (broken bed, darkness without checking, sharing a bed), and maintain orderly posture—habits that protect safety, modesty, and self-control.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma continues instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on codes of right conduct (ācāra). Here he gives practical household guidance about how and where one should sleep, presenting everyday prudence as a moral duty.