Shloka 23
Jñāna-yoga and Karma-phala: Manu–Bṛhaspati on Akṣara and the Limits of Mantra
श्मश्रुकर्मणि सम्प्राप्ते क्षुते सनाने5डथ भोजने । व्याधितानां च सर्वेषामायुष्यमभिनन्दनम्
śmaśrukarmaṇi samprāpte kṣute snāne ’tha bhojane | vyādhitānāṃ ca sarveṣām āyuṣyam abhinandanam ||
Bhīṣma berkata: Setelah mencukur/merapikan janggut, setelah bersin, setelah mandi, dan setelah makan—demikian pula bagi semua yang sedang sakit—kewajiban yang menumbuhkan usia adalah memberi salam hormat dan ucapan baik, terutama kepada para Brāhmaṇa. Sapaan penuh takzim ini dipuji sebagai sebab panjang umur dan kesejahteraan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Cultivating respectful greetings and salutations—particularly toward Brāhmaṇas—at key daily moments (after grooming, sneezing, bathing, and eating) is presented as dharmic conduct that supports health, auspiciousness, and longevity, even for the sick.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs on righteous living and proper conduct. Here he lists everyday occasions and prescribes abhinandana (courteous salutations/blessings) as a beneficial observance tied to well-being and long life.