Shloka 4

Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच मासार्धमासोपवासाद्‌ यत्‌ तपो मन्यते जन: । आत्मतन्त्रोपघाती यो न तपस्वी न धर्मवित्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca māsa-ardha-māsa-upavāsād yat tapo manyate janaḥ | ātma-tantro-paghātī yo na tapasvī na dharma-vit ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ— ରାଜନ୍! ଯେମାନେ ପନ୍ଦର ଦିନ କିମ୍ବା ଗୋଟିଏ ମାସ ଉପବାସକୁ ହିଁ ତପ ବୋଲି ଭାବନ୍ତି, ସେମାନେ ବ୍ୟର୍ଥରେ ନିଜ ଶରୀରକୁ କଷ୍ଟ ଦିଅନ୍ତି। ଏପରି ସ୍ୱେଚ୍ଛାଚାରୀ ଓ ଆତ୍ମଘାତୀ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି ନ ତପସ୍ବୀ, ନ ଧର୍ମଜ୍ଞ।

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मासार्धम्: half a month (a fortnight)
• मासार्धम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मासार्ध
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मासोपवासात्: from a month-long fast / by fasting for a month
• मासोपवासात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मासोपवास
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मन्यते: thinks/considers
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• जनः: people (a person/folk)
• जनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आत्मतन्त्र: self-willed, acting independently
• आत्मतन्त्र: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मतन्त्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उपघाती: injuring, harming
• उपघाती: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपघातिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• तपस्वी: an ascetic; one who practices austerity
• तपस्वी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: nor/not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• धर्मवित्: knower of dharma
• धर्मवित्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मविद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• the King (Yudhishthira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that austerity is not simply prolonged fasting; without right understanding and disciplined purpose, such fasting becomes self-harm and does not make one a true ascetic or a knower of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs King Yudhishthira on dharma. Here he critiques the popular notion that a fortnight- or month-long fast by itself constitutes tapas, emphasizing ethical discernment over mere bodily mortification.