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

毗湿摩说道：恭敬亲近师长——或任何可敬的长者——便能获得大寿。又当日日避开那些禁用的齿木（dantakāṣṭha）。此教诲强调：日常行持之纪律、对长者的敬礼，以及对清净戒则的谨慎遵守，皆为健康、长寿与依达摩而活之所依。

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.