Shloka 17
Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Ātma-saṃyama (Marks of Social Conduct and Self-Restraint) | वर्णलक्षणम् एवं आत्मसंयमः
समुन्नमग्रतो वस्त्र पश्चाच्छुध्यति कर्मणा । उपवासै: प्रतप्तानां दीर्घ सुखमनन्तकम्
samunnam agrato vastraṁ paścāc chudhyati karmaṇā | upavāsaiḥ prataptānāṁ dīrghaṁ sukham anantakam ||
Бхишма сказал: «Как ткань, предварительно вымоченная в щёлочи, затем очищается стиркой, так и те, кто совершает аскезу, раскалённую постом, достигают великого счастья — долгого и бесконечного».
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Fasting undertaken as disciplined austerity (tapas) purifies the practitioner and yields enduring, even ‘endless,’ well-being; purification is presented as a process—preparation plus sustained effort—like washing a pre-treated cloth.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhishma continues advising by using a household analogy (cloth cleaned after being treated) to explain how ascetic practices—especially fasting—lead to inner purification and lasting happiness.