Shloka 73

Tapas, Tīrtha, and Moral Rehabilitation (Śānti-parva 148)

Devanagari script

उपवासैर्बहुविधैश्वरिष्ये पारलौकिकम्‌ । “भूख

Transliteration

upavāsair bahuvidhaiś cariṣye pāralaukikam |

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ— ମୁଁ ବହୁ ପ୍ରକାର ଉପବାସ ବ୍ରତ ପାଳନ କରି ପରଲୋକ ଶ୍ରେୟସ୍‌ ପାଇଁ ପୁଣ୍ୟକର୍ମ କରିବି। ଭୁଖ, ପିଆସ ଓ ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟତାପର କ୍ଲେଶ ସହି ଦେହକୁ ଏତେ କ୍ଷୀଣ କରିଦେବି ଯେ ସର୍ବଦେହରେ ପ୍ରସାରିତ ନାଡ଼ୀ-ଶିରା ସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ ଦିଶିବ—ଏଭଳି ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟ ସଂଯମ କରି ମୋର ପ୍ରୟାସ ପରଲୋକହିତକୁ ନିବେଶିତ ରହିବ।

Word by Word

• उपवासैः: by fasts
• उपवासैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• बहुविधैः: of many kinds
• बहुविधैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुविध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• चरिष्ये: I shall practice/undertake
• चरिष्ये: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पारलौकिकम्: otherworldly (merit/benefit)
• पारलौकिकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारलौकिक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes tapas through disciplined fasting as an ethical-spiritual practice: restraining bodily appetites and enduring hardship can be directed toward puṇya (merit) and pāralaukika (otherworldly) welfare, aligning personal conduct with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s discourse in the Shanti Parva, he describes a resolve to perform rigorous austerities—especially repeated, varied fasts—enduring hunger, thirst, and heat, as a means of spiritual purification and securing well-being in the next world.