Shloka 37
Adhyāya 180: Jīva, Śarīra, and the Fire Analogy (भृगु–भरद्वाज संवादः)
भीष्म उवाच अजगरचरितं व्रतं महात्मा य इह नरो<नुचरेद् विनीतराग: । अपगतभयलो भमोहमन्यु: स खलु सुखी विचरेदिमं विहारम्
bhīṣma uvāca | ajagaracaritaṁ vrataṁ mahātmā ya iha naro 'nucared vinītarāgaḥ | apagatabhayalobhamohamanyuḥ sa khalu sukhī vicared imaṁ vihāram ||
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ହେ ରାଜନ୍! ଯେ ମହାତ୍ମା ଏହି ଲୋକରେ ରାଗକୁ ନିୟନ୍ତ୍ରଣ କରି, ଭୟ, ଲୋଭ, ମୋହ ଓ କ୍ରୋଧକୁ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରି, ‘ଆଜଗର-ଚରିତ’ ବ୍ରତ ପାଳନ କରେ—ସେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ସୁଖୀ ହୋଇ, ଶାନ୍ତ ସ୍ୱାଧୀନତାରେ ଜୀବନରେ ବିଚରେ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Happiness and freedom in life arise from disciplined restraint: practicing the ‘ajagara-vrata’ (a life of simplicity and non-grasping) and abandoning attachment along with fear, greed, delusion, and anger.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction to the king, Bhishma recommends an ascetic-ethical model called the ‘ajagara’ (python) observance, praising the person who lives without craving and without the inner enemies of fear, greed, delusion, and anger.