Shloka 56

Devanagari script

व्याधिप्रशमन श्रेष्ठ पौष्टिक सर्वकर्मणाम्‌ । प्रयत: कीर्तयेच्चैतान्‌ कल्यं सायं च भारत

Transliteration

vyādhi-praśamana-śreṣṭhaṁ pauṣṭikaṁ sarva-karmaṇām | prayataḥ kīrtayec caitān kalyaṁ sāyaṁ ca bhārata ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—ఈ స్మరణ-కీర్తన వ్యాధులను శమింపజేయుటకు శ్రేష్ఠమైనది; సమస్త కర్మములకు పుష్టినిచ్చేది. అందుచేత, ఓ భారతా, నియమశీలుడై శుద్ధచిత్తంతో ప్రాతఃసాయంకాలములలో ఈ నామములను కీర్తించవలెను.

Word by Word

• व्याधि-प्रशमनम्: removal/alleviation of disease
• व्याधि-प्रशमनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याधि-प्रशमन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• श्रेष्ठम्: excellent; best
• श्रेष्ठम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पौष्टिकम्: nourishing; strengthening
• पौष्टिकम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पौष्टिक
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सर्व-कर्मणाम्: of all actions/rites
• सर्व-कर्मणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• प्रयतः: self-controlled; purified; attentive
• प्रयतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कीर्तयेत्: should praise/recite
• कीर्तयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्तय् (कृत्/कृ + णिच्)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• एतान्: these (persons/things)
• एतान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कल्यम्: in the morning
• कल्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कल्य

• सायम्: in the evening
• सायम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सायम्

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

• भारत: O Bharata (descendant of Bharata)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Bharata (address to Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Devatāḥ (gods)
• Ṛṣayaḥ (seers)
• Pṛthivīpāla-rājānaḥ (earth-ruling kings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that disciplined, regular remembrance/recitation (kīrtana)—especially done morning and evening with a purified mind—brings auspiciousness, purifies the practitioner, supports the successful performance of duties, and is even described as a foremost means for alleviating disease.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhishma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and right conduct. Here he recommends a daily regimen of reciting and honoring revered beings (deities, seers, and exemplary rulers), presenting it as both spiritually purifying and practically beneficial for one’s life and responsibilities.