Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 15
तिष्ठेयुरप्यभुज्जाना बहूनि दिवसान्यपि । शोषयेयुश्च गात्राणि स्वाध्यायै: संयतेन्द्रिया:,वे बहुत दिनोंतक बिना खाये रह सकते हैं और अपनी इन्द्रियोंको संयममें रखकर स्वाध्याय करते हुए शरीरको सुखा सकते हैं
tiṣṭheyur apy abhujjānā bahūni divasāny api | śoṣayeyuś ca gātrāṇi svādhyāyaiḥ saṃyatendriyāḥ ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: Kahit hindi kumain, kaya nilang manatiling matatag sa loob ng maraming araw; at sa pagpipigil sa mga pandama, sa masusing swādhyāya na may disiplina, kaya nilang patuyuin ang sariling katawan—ipinapakita ang mahigpit na kapangyarihan ng pagpipigil at banal na pag-aaral.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical-spiritual ideal of tapas: through fasting, restraint of the senses, and sustained svādhyāya, a person can cultivate extraordinary endurance and inner discipline, valuing self-mastery over bodily comfort.
Bhīṣma is describing the capacities of highly disciplined practitioners—those who, by controlling appetite and senses and engaging in sacred study, can endure long periods without food and even allow the body to waste away, underscoring the power of ascetic practice within dharma discourse.