Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 44

आचारप्रशंसा

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

Devanagari script

आचार्यमथवाप्यन्यं तथायुर्विन्दते महत्‌ | सायंकालमें न सोये

Transliteration

ācāryam athavāpy anyaṃ tathāyur vindate mahat | varjayet dantakāṣṭhāni varjanīyāni nityaśaḥ ||

Translation

Wika ni Bhīṣma: Sa paglapit at paggalang sa guro—o sa sinumang kagalang-galang na nakatatanda—nagkakamit ang tao ng dakilang kahabaan ng buhay. At araw-araw, dapat ding iwasan ang mga ipinagbabawal na patpat na panlinis-ngipin (dantakāṣṭha). Binibigyang-diin ng aral ang disiplina sa araw-araw, paggalang sa nakatatanda, at maingat na pagsunod sa mga tuntunin ng kadalisayan bilang sandigan ng kalusugan, mahabang buhay, at pamumuhay ayon sa dharma.

Word by Word

• वर्जयेत्: should avoid
• वर्जयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृज् (वर्ज्)
• Form: Vidhi-ling, Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दन्तकाष्ठानि: tooth-sticks (sticks for cleaning teeth)
• दन्तकाष्ठानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्तकाष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• वर्जनीयानि: to be avoided / forbidden
• वर्जनीयानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्जनीय (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √वृज्/वर्ज् with -अनीय)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• नित्यशः: always, regularly
• नित्यशः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यशस् (अव्यय)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• ācārya (teacher)
• dantakāṣṭha (tooth-stick)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Longevity and well-being are supported by disciplined daily conduct: honoring one’s teacher and elders, maintaining purity, and carefully avoiding practices deemed improper (such as using forbidden tooth-sticks).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma continues instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and proper conduct (ācāra), giving practical daily rules—here, stressing reverence to gurus and avoidance of prohibited items like certain dantakāṣṭhas.