Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 12

आचारप्रशंसा

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

Devanagari script

विशीला भिजन्नमर्यादा नित्यं संकीर्णमैथुना: । अल्पायुषो भवन्तीह नरा निरयगामिन:

Transliteration

viśīlā bhijannamaryādā nityaṁ saṅkīrṇa-maithunāḥ | alpāyuṣo bhavantīha narā niraya-gāminaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：凡无德行者，恒常毁犯达摩之界限，又习于不正淫行（越过所禁之分际、杂乱交合）者，在此世寿命短促；死后更趋入地狱。

Word by Word

• विशीलाः: of bad conduct, characterless
• विशीलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भिन्नमर्यादाः: those whose bounds/limits are broken; transgressing propriety
• भिन्नमर्यादाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिन्नमर्यादा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यम्

• संकीर्णमैथुनाः: those engaged in promiscuous/illicit sexual relations
• संकीर्णमैथुनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संकीर्णमैथुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अल्पायुषः: short-lived
• अल्पायुषः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्पायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भवन्ति: become/are
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• निरयगामिनः: hell-going; destined for hell
• निरयगामिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरयगामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that abandoning good conduct, repeatedly transgressing dharmic boundaries, and indulging in illicit sexual relations leads to harm in this life (shortened lifespan) and adverse results after death (a fall into hell).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma is instructing Yudhishthira on dharma and proper conduct. Here he warns about the moral and karmic consequences of habitual transgression, especially in matters of sexual discipline and social-religious boundaries.