Shloka 64
आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
ऊर्ध्व प्राणा ह्ुत्क्रामन्ति यून: स्थविर आयति
ūrdhva-prāṇā hutkrāmanti yūnaḥ sthavira āyati
Bhīṣma berkata: “Pada yang muda, nafas hayat (prāṇa) cenderung naik ke atas dan mudah berangkat; pada yang tua, ia bergerak perlahan dan datang dengan susah payah.” Renungan etika tentang kemerosotan tubuh ini menegaskan keniscayaan usia tua serta perlunya hidup berdisiplin dan berlepas diri, kerana daya kehidupan tidak pernah tetap.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Life’s energies are unstable and change with age: youth is marked by quick, upward-moving vitality that can suddenly depart, while old age brings slow, difficult bodily functioning. Recognizing this impermanence supports dharmic restraint, humility, and detachment from bodily pride.
Bhīṣma, in his instruction during the Anuśāsana Parva, is describing physiological signs of youth and old age to ground a moral lesson: human life is transient, so one should live with discipline and awareness rather than complacency.