Shloka 4

आचारप्रशंसा

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

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच अत्र तेहहं प्रवक्ष्यामि यन्मां त्वमनुपृच्छसि । अल्पायुर्येन भवति दीर्घायुर्वापि मानव:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca atra te ’haṁ pravakṣyāmi yan māṁ tvam anupṛcchasi | alpāyur yena bhavati dīrghāyur vāpi mānavaḥ ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا— تم نے مجھ سے جو پوچھا ہے، میں یہاں وہ بیان کرتا ہوں—کن اسباب سے انسان کم عمر ہوتا ہے اور کن اسباب سے دراز عمر بھی ہوتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• अत्र: here; in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: will explain; will tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• अनुपृच्छसि: ask; inquire (after)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Present, Second, Singular

• अल्पायुः: short-lived
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्पायु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• येन: by which; through which
• येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भवति: becomes; is
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Present, Third, Singular

• दीर्घायुः: long-lived
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घायु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• अपि: also; even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• मानवः: a man; human
• मानवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma introduces a moral-causal explanation of lifespan: he will describe the behaviors and qualities that lead to a shortened life and those that support longevity, framing longevity as connected to dharmic conduct and disciplined living.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva’s instructional setting, Bhishma responds to a question posed to him and begins his reply by promising to explain the causes of short life and long life in human beings.