Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 139

ज्येष्ठ-कनिष्ठ-धर्मः — Duties of Elders and Juniors

Anuśāsana-parva 108

Devanagari script

पारदार्यमनायुष्यं नापितोच्छिष्टता तथा । यत्नतो वै न कर्तव्यमभ्यासश्रैव भारत

Transliteration

pāradāryam anāyuṣyaṃ nāpitochchiṣṭatā tathā | yatnato vai na kartavyam abhyāsaś caiva bhārata ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“与他人之妻私通会折损寿命；同样，理发剃须之后不沐浴而久处不净之身，亦为有害。因此，噢婆罗多，当谨慎避此等行径；并且在不净之时，也当停止吠陀的学习与诵读。”

Word by Word

• पारदार्यम्: adultery (going to another's wife)
• पारदार्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारदार्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अनायुष्यम्: life-shortening, not conducive to longevity
• अनायुष्यम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनायुष्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• अपित: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपित

• उच्छिष्टता: state of impurity (being in an uच्छिष्ट condition)
• उच्छिष्टता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्छिष्टता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: likewise, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• यत्नतः: carefully, with effort
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्नतस्

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

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

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done; should be done
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्तव्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अभ्यासः: practice; study (repetition/recitation)
• अभ्यासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: only, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhārata (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Avoid adultery (pāradārya) and avoid remaining unbathed/impure after barbering; additionally, do not engage in Vedic study/recitation while in a state of impurity. The verse links ethical restraint and ritual cleanliness with well-being and longevity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and proper conduct (ācāra), giving practical prohibitions concerning sexual ethics and purity rules connected with Vedic study.