आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
न पाणौ लवणं दिद्वान् प्राश्नीयान्न च रात्रिषु दधिसक्तून् न भुज्जीत वृथा मांसं च वर्जयेत्
na pāṇau lavaṇaṁ vidvān prāśnīyān na ca rātriṣu dadhisaktūn na bhuñjīta vṛthā māṁsaṁ ca varjayet
Bhishma bersabda: Orang bijaksana tidak patut menjilat garam yang diletakkan di tapak tangan. Pada waktu malam pula, janganlah ia makan dadih yang dicampur sattu (tepung panggang). Dan hendaklah ia meninggalkan daging sama sekali, menganggapnya makanan yang tidak wajar dan suatu kenikmatan yang boleh dielakkan.
भीष्म उवाच
The verse teaches disciplined, mindful eating as a component of dharma: avoid crude or improper habits (licking salt from the palm), avoid certain combinations or timings (curd with sattu at night), and renounce meat as an ethically and spiritually undesirable indulgence.
In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on righteous conduct. Here he gives practical rules of personal discipline—especially dietary restraints—framing them as marks of a wise person and as supports for purity and self-control.