Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

प्राणानामी श्वरानेतान्‌ कीर्तयन्‌ प्रयतो नर: । धर्मार्थकामैरविंपुलैर्युज्यते सह नित्यश:

Transliteration

prāṇānām īśvarān etān kīrtayan prayato naraḥ | dharmārthakāmair vipulair yujyate sa nityaśaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：“此等乃一切有情之命息的主宰。若有人自持谨肃，以清净之心恒常称赞诵念其名，便将持续具足丰厚之得：法（dharma）、利（artha）与欲（kāma，正当之享受）。”

Word by Word

• प्राणानाम्: of the life-breaths / of living beings
• प्राणानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• ईश्वरान्: lords, masters
• ईश्वरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• एतान्: these
• एतान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कीर्तयन्: praising, reciting (the names/qualities)
• कीर्तयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्तय् (√कीर्त्/कीर्तयति)
• Form: Present, Singular, Parasmaipada, Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative

• प्रयतः: pure, disciplined, attentive
• प्रयतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मार्थकामैः: with dharma, artha and kāma (the three aims)
• धर्मार्थकामैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मार्थकाम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विपुलैः: abundant, plentiful
• विपुलैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• युज्यते: is joined with / attains
• Type: Verb
• Root: √युज् (युज्यते)
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada (passive/medio-passive usage), Third, Singular

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• नित्यशः: always, daily
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यशस्

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• īśvarāḥ (lords/sovereigns of prāṇas; unspecified deities referred to as 'these')
• prāṇa (life-breath)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Sincere, disciplined, and regular praise (kīrtana) of the revered ‘lords’—understood as divine guardians of life—supports a person’s flourishing in the three worldly aims: dharma, artha, and kāma, when pursued within ethical bounds.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma continues instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on religious duties and beneficial practices. Here he commends the daily recitation/praise of certain exalted beings previously mentioned, stating that such devotion yields steady prosperity in life’s aims.