Shloka 56

आचारप्रशंसा

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

Devanagari script

प्राडमुखो नित्यमश्रीयाद्‌ वाग्यतो5न्नमकुत्सयन्‌ । प्रस्कन्दयेच्च मनसा भुक्त्वा चाग्निमुपस्पृशेत्‌

Transliteration

prāḍmukho nityam aśrīyād vāgyato 'nnam akutsayan | praskandayec ca manasā bhuktvā cāgnim upaspṛśet ||

Translation

Бхишма сказал: человек, принимающий пищу, должен делать это каждый день, обратившись лицом к востоку, в молчании и с самообладанием. Во время еды не следует порицать поданную пищу. Надлежит оставить малую часть несъеденной и, окончив трапезу, в сердце своем вспомнить о священном огне Агни, сохраняя благоговение и дисциплину в простом деле питания.

Word by Word

• प्राक्: eastward / facing east
• प्राक्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक्

• मुखः: faced (having the face turned)
• मुखः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुख
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नित्यम्: always / daily
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• अश्रीयात्: should resort to / should take (food)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि
• Form: Vidhi-lin (optative), Present-system, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वाक्-यतः: restrained in speech (silent)
• वाक्-यतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाक् + यत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अकुत्सयन्: not censuring / not disparaging
• अकुत्सयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कुत्सय्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रस्कन्दयेत्: should leave over / should set aside
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-स्कन्द्
• Form: Vidhi-lin (optative), Present-system, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मनसा: with the mind / mentally
• मनसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भुक्त्वा: having eaten
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: Absolutive (ktvā)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अग्निम्: fire (Agni)
• अग्निम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपस्पृशेत्: should touch / should perform ācamana (ritual touching)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-स्पृश्
• Form: Vidhi-lin (optative), Present-system, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Agni (sacred fire)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Everyday acts like eating are part of dharma: eat with discipline (silence and restraint), gratitude (no fault-finding with what is served), moderation (leave a small remainder), and reverence (mentally recollect the sacred fire after the meal).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising on proper conduct (ācāra). Here he gives practical household guidance on how one should take food in a disciplined and reverent manner.