Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 18

आचारप्रशंसा

Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity

Devanagari script

नोपसूष्टं न वारिस्थं न मध्यं नभसो गतम्‌ | ऋषयो नित्यसंध्यत्वाद्‌ दीर्घमायुरवाप्तुवन्‌

Transliteration

nopasūṣṭaṃ na vāristhaṃ na madhyaṃ nabhaso gatam | ṛṣayo nityasaṃdhyatvād dīrgham āyur avāptuvan

Translation

ਰਿਸ਼ੀ ਨਾ ਤਾਂ ਗੰਦੇ-ਅਪਵਿੱਤਰ ਥਾਵਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ ਸਨ, ਨਾ ਪਾਣੀ ਨਾਲ ਭਰੇ ਇਲਾਕਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ, ਨਾ ਆਕਾਸ਼ ਦੇ ਮੱਧ ਭਾਗ ਵਿੱਚ ਭਟਕਦੇ ਸਨ। ਨਿੱਤ ਸੰਧਿਆ-ਕਰਮ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਟੱਲ ਰਹਿਣ ਕਰਕੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਦੀਰਘ ਆਯੁ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਕੀਤੀ।

Word by Word

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

• उपसूष्टम्: over-dried/over-withered
• उपसूष्टम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपसूष्ट
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: nor
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• वारिस्थम्: standing in water/waterlogged
• वारिस्थम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारिस्थ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: nor
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• मध्यम्: middling/medium
• मध्यम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: nor
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• नभसः: of the sky
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• गतम्: gone/entered
• गतम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नित्यसंध्यत्वात्: because of constant twilight-worship (sandhyā)
• नित्यसंध्यत्वात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्यसंध्यत्व
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• दीर्घम्: long
• दीर्घम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आयुः: life, lifespan
• आयुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अवाप्तुवन्: obtained/attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: अवाप्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• ṛṣayaḥ (sages)
• sandhyā (twilight rite)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Longevity and well-being are linked to disciplined daily conduct—especially steadfast observance of sandhyā—and to avoiding unwholesome or improper dwelling-places; ethical life is presented as practical, embodied discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, instructing on dharma and proper conduct, cites the sages’ lifestyle: they avoided impure or unsuitable locations and maintained unwavering sandhyā practice, through which they are said to have attained long life.