Shloka 15
तिष्ठेयुरप्यभुज्जाना बहूनि दिवसान्यपि । शोषयेयुश्च गात्राणि स्वाध्यायै: संयतेन्द्रिया:,वे बहुत दिनोंतक बिना खाये रह सकते हैं और अपनी इन्द्रियोंको संयममें रखकर स्वाध्याय करते हुए शरीरको सुखा सकते हैं
tiṣṭheyur apy abhujjānā bahūni divasāny api | śoṣayeyuś ca gātrāṇi svādhyāyaiḥ saṃyatendriyāḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: Walaupun tanpa mengambil makanan, mereka mampu tetap teguh selama banyak hari; dan dengan pancaindera dikekang, mereka dapat mengeringkan tubuh melalui swādhyāya yang berdisiplin—menampakkan daya tapa dan kekuatan ilmu suci yang lahir daripada pengendalian diri.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical-spiritual ideal of tapas: through fasting, restraint of the senses, and sustained svādhyāya, a person can cultivate extraordinary endurance and inner discipline, valuing self-mastery over bodily comfort.
Bhīṣma is describing the capacities of highly disciplined practitioners—those who, by controlling appetite and senses and engaging in sacred study, can endure long periods without food and even allow the body to waste away, underscoring the power of ascetic practice within dharma discourse.