Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 446

आचारप्रशंसा

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

Devanagari script

भक्षयेच्छास्त्रदृष्टानि पर्वस्वपि विवर्जयेत्‌ । शास्त्रोंमें जिन काष्ठोंका दाँतन निषिद्ध माना गया है

Transliteration

bhakṣayecchāstradṛṣṭāni parvasv api vivarjayet |

Translation

毗湿摩言：洁齿之木，当取经论所许者；经论所禁者，恒当弃绝，勿复用之。又逢节会与斋戒之日（parva日），即便平日所许之齿木，亦当停用，以示克制，契合于法。

Word by Word

• भक्षयेत्: should chew/consume (use for chewing, i.e., tooth-cleaning stick)
• भक्षयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष्
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इच्छेत्: should desire/choose
• इच्छेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शास्त्र-दृष्टानि: those seen/mentioned in the scriptures
• शास्त्र-दृष्टानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शास्त्र-दृष्ट
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• पर्वसु: on festival/holy days
• पर्वसु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

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

• विवर्जयेत्: should avoid/abstain from
• विवर्जयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + वर्ज्
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• śāstra (scriptural injunctions)
• dantadhāvana-kāṣṭha (tooth-cleaning stick, implied)
• parva (sacred observance day)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Follow scriptural guidance in daily conduct: use only permitted means for personal hygiene, and observe heightened restraint on sacred days by abstaining even from normally allowed practices.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is giving prescriptive instruction on dharma—specifically rules of conduct and purity—detailing what kinds of tooth-cleaning sticks are acceptable and how observance days require stricter self-control.