Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 11

Pratyakṣa–Āgama–Ācāra: Doubt, Proof, and the Practice of Dharma (प्रत्यक्ष–आगम–आचारविचारः)

Devanagari script

अब्भक्षेवायुभक्षैश्न शैवलोत्तरभोजनै: । अश्मकुट्टैस्तथा दान्तै: सम्प्रक्षालैस्तथापरै:

Transliteration

abbhakṣevāyubhakṣaiś ca śaivalottarabhojanaiḥ | aśmakuttaiś tathā dāntaiḥ samprakṣālaiś tathāparaiḥ ||

Translation

大自在天（摩醯首罗）说道：“有人唯以清水为食；有人仿佛只以风为粮；也有人以藻类等微薄之物维生。有人忍受苦行，如同嚼石；也有人摄伏诸根，以反复沐洗与种种戒行而得清净。”

Word by Word

• अद्भक्षैः: by eaters (those who eat)
• अद्भक्षैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद् (भक्ष्) + भक्ष (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• इव: like/as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• आयुर्भक्षैः: by those who eat (i.e., consume) life-span
• आयुर्भक्षैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् + भक्ष (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• शैवलोत्तरभोजनैः: by those whose food is chiefly algae/moss (i.e., algae as the main fare)
• शैवलोत्तरभोजनैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैवल + उत्तर + भोजन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अश्मकुट्टैः: by stone-pounders / those who crush (food) with stones
• अश्मकुट्टैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्म + कुट्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: thus/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• दान्तैः: by teeth
• दान्तैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सम्प्रक्षालैः: by thorough washings / by those who thoroughly wash (it)
• सम्प्रक्षालैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्-प्र-क्षाल (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• अपरैः: by others
• अपरैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Maheśvara (Śiva)
• water (ab)
• air (vāyu)
• algae (śaivala)
• stone (aśman)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the diversity and severity of ascetic disciplines—fasting, minimal diets, sense-restraint, and purification—implying that spiritual striving often involves deliberate self-denial and inner control rather than indulgence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śrī Maheśvara is describing various kinds of ascetics and their practices, listing extreme modes of subsistence and purification to illustrate the range of tapas undertaken in pursuit of religious merit and self-mastery.