Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 35

Adhyāya 119: Vyāsa–Kīṭa-saṃvāda

Tapas-bala and karmic ascent across yoni

Devanagari script

धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं स्वर्ग्य स्वस्त्ययनं महत्‌ | मांसस्याभक्षणं प्राहुर्नियता: परमर्षय:

Transliteration

dhanyaṃ yaśasyam āyuṣyaṃ svargyaṃ svastyayanaṃ mahat | māṃsasyābhakṣaṇaṃ prāhur niyatāḥ paramarṣayaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“持戒精严的大圣仙宣说：不食肉实为吉祥——能得福祉、名誉、长寿，并积累导向天界的功德；诚然，这是通向安乐的大法门。”

Word by Word

• धन्यम्: meritorious; bringing prosperity
• धन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• यशस्यम्: fame-giving
• यशस्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• आयुष्यम्: life-prolonging; conducive to longevity
• आयुष्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयुष्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• स्वर्ग्यम्: heaven-leading; conducive to heaven
• स्वर्ग्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• स्वस्त्ययनम्: a means/way to welfare (safe course)
• स्वस्त्ययनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वस्त्ययन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• महत्: great; supreme
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• अभक्षणम्: non-eating; abstention from eating
• अभक्षणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-भक्षण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• प्राहुः: they said; they declare
• प्राहुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• नियताः: disciplined; self-restrained
• नियताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• परमर्षयः: supreme sages
• परमर्षयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• paramarishis (great sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that refraining from eating meat is an ethical discipline praised by great sages as a powerful source of auspiciousness—supporting longevity, good reputation, and heavenly merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva, Bhishma is instructing Yudhishthira on dharma and right conduct; here he cites the authority of disciplined seers to commend abstention from meat as a major means of welfare.