Shloka 21

आचारप्रशंसा

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

Devanagari script

न हीदृशमनायुष्यं लोके किंचन विद्यते । यादृशं पुरुषस्येह परदारोपसेवनम्‌

Transliteration

na hīdṛśam anāyuṣyaṁ loke kiṁcana vidyate | yādṛśaṁ puruṣasyeha paradāropasevanam ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“在此世间，没有什么比与他人之妻私通更能摧毁寿命。对世间男子而言，没有任何行为能像追逐并享受他人配偶那样，必然地缩短生命。”

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• ईदृशम्: such (a thing)
• ईदृशम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अनायुष्यम्: life-destroying; not conducive to longevity
• अनायुष्यम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनायुष्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• किंचन: anything (at all)
• किंचन: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किंचन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (विद्+य)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• यादृशम्: such as/like which
• यादृशम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यादृश
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• पुरुषस्य: of a man
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• इह: here/in this world
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• परदार: another's wife
• Type: Noun
• Root: परदार
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound), Singular (as prior member)

• उपसेवनम्: approaching/consorting; sexual intercourse
• उपसेवनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपसेवन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma teaches that sexual involvement with another man’s wife is a grave adharma that most powerfully destroys a man’s longevity and well-being; it is presented as among the most life-ruining moral transgressions.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous conduct and social-moral discipline, warning specifically against the perilous consequences of approaching another’s spouse.