Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 17

Adhyāya 119: Vyāsa–Kīṭa-saṃvāda

Tapas-bala and karmic ascent across yoni

Devanagari script

दुष्करं च रसज्ञाने मांसस्य परिवर्जनम्‌ | चर्तु व्रतमिदं श्रेष्ठ सर्वप्राण्यभयप्रदम्‌

Transliteration

Bhīṣma uvāca: duṣkaraṁ ca rasajñāne māṁsasya parivarjanam | catur-vratam idaṁ śreṣṭhaṁ sarva-prāṇy-abhaya-pradam ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：对已知晓并贪恋肉味的人而言，戒除肉食确实艰难。然而此四重誓戒最为殊胜，因为它使一切众生得无畏。

Word by Word

• दुष्करम्: difficult (to do)
• दुष्करम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

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

• रसज्ञाने: in/for one who knows taste; in the matter of taste-appreciation
• रसज्ञाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रसज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मांसस्य: of meat
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• परिवर्जनम्: abstaining; avoidance
• परिवर्जनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि√वृज्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

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

• एतत्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• व्रतम्: vow; observance
• व्रतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• श्रेष्ठम्: best; excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• सर्वप्राणि-अभय-प्रदम्: granting fearlessness to all living beings
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वप्राण्यभयप्रद
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even if abstaining from meat is difficult for someone accustomed to its taste, the ethical ideal is to undertake the highest discipline that ensures non-harm—granting safety and fearlessness to all living beings.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva’s dharma-instruction setting, Bhishma continues advising on righteous conduct, emphasizing the moral excellence of vows grounded in ahimsa and the challenge of overcoming sensory attachment.