Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 91

आचारप्रशंसा

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

Devanagari script

न संनिकृष्टे मेधावी नाशुचेर्न च सत्सु च | प्रतिषिद्धान्‌ नधर्मेषु भक्ष्यान्‌ भुज्जीत पृष्ठत:

Transliteration

na saṁnikṛṣṭe medhāvī nāśucer na ca satsu ca | pratiṣiddhān adharmyeṣu bhakṣyān bhuñjīta pṛṣṭhataḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：智者用餐时，不应紧挨不净之人而坐，也不应在贤善之士面前进食。凡为法典所禁、属非义之食，即便背人而食、暗中偷吃，也不可为之。

Word by Word

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

• संनिकृष्टे: in/at close proximity
• संनिकृष्टे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संनिकृष्ट
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मेधावी: the intelligent man
• मेधावी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेधाविन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अशुचेः: of an impure person
• अशुचेः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: अशुचि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• न: nor
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

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

• सत्सु: among/in the presence of good people
• सत्सु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• च: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• प्रतिषिद्धान्: forbidden
• प्रतिषिद्धान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिषिद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अधर्मेषु: in unlawful/irreligious matters (i.e., in adharma-contexts)
• अधर्मेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• भक्ष्यान्: edibles/foods to be eaten
• भक्ष्यान्: Karma
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: भक्ष्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• भुञ्जीत: should eat
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: Vidhi-ling (Optative), Present-system, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पृष्ठतः: from behind/behind (secretly)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतः

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Maintain ethical and ritual integrity in eating: avoid dining in improper company or settings, and never consume scripturally forbidden foods—even secretly—since dharma concerns both action and intention.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (Anushasana Parva), he lays down a rule of personal conduct regarding meals, emphasizing purity of association and strict avoidance of prohibited foods.