Shloka 68

आचारप्रशंसा

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

Devanagari script

उच्छिष्टो न स्पृशेच्छीर्ष सर्वे प्राणास्तदा श्रया: । नंगे होकर न सोये। उच्छिष्ट अवस्थामें भी शयन न करे। जूठे हाथसे मस्तकका स्पर्श न करे; क्योंकि समस्त प्राण मस्तकके ही आश्रित हैं ।।

Transliteration

Bhīṣma uvāca: ucchiṣṭo na spṛśecchīrṣaṁ sarve prāṇās tadāśrayāḥ | keśagrahaṁ prahārāṁś ca śirasy etān vivarjayet |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：不可用因残食而不净之手触摸头顶，因为一切生命之气据说皆依止于头。故当避免揪抓头发、拉扯其发，亦不可击打头部。这些约束被教为自律之行的法则，用以护持生命与安康。

Word by Word

• उच्छिष्टः: one who is in a state of impurity (after eating; with remnants)
• उच्छिष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्छिष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• स्पृशेत्: should touch
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शीर्षम्: head
• शीर्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीर्ष
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्राणाः: vital breaths; life-forces
• प्राणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तदा: then; at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• आश्रयाः: dependent; resting upon (as support)
• आश्रयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• केशग्रहम्: seizing the hair (hair-grasping)
• केशग्रहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशग्रह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रहारान्: blows; strikes
• प्रहारान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• शिरसि: on the head
• शिरसि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• एतान्: these
• एतान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• विवर्जयेत्: should avoid; should refrain from
• Type: Verb
• Root: विवर्ज्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• śīrṣa (head)
• prāṇa (vital breaths)
• keśa (hair)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Maintain disciplined conduct regarding the head: do not touch it with impure (ucchiṣṭa) hands, and avoid actions like hair-pulling or striking the head, since the head is regarded as the seat/support of the prāṇas.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues giving Yudhiṣṭhira practical dharma-guidance (ācāra), here focusing on bodily discipline and protective rules connected with life-force and longevity.