Shloka 8
Adhyātma-nirdeśa
Definition of Adhyātma): Mahābhūtas, Indriyas, Guṇas, and the Witness (Kṣetrajña
नश्यन्त्यापो हानाहाराद् वायुरुच्छवासनिग्रहात् । नश्यते कोष्ठ भेदात् खमन्निर्नश्यत्यभोजनात्
bharadvāja uvāca | naśyanty āpo hānāhārād vāyur ucchvāsa-nigrahāt | naśyate koṣṭha-bhedāt khaṁ agnir naśyaty abhojanāt ||
婆罗陀婆阇说道：“若全然断绝维系身体的摄取，身中之水大便枯竭；若强行抑止呼吸，命风（气）便受损。若腹部破裂，虚空之大即毁；若停止饮食，身中之火大便熄灭。”
भरद्वाज उवाच
Educational Q&A
Extreme bodily practices—total fasting, harsh breath-suppression, or self-injury—damage the elemental supports of life (water, wind, space, fire). The verse cautions that dharma is not served by self-destructive austerity; discipline should preserve life and clarity rather than dismantle the body.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Bharadvāja speaks as a teacher, explaining in elemental terms how certain severe ascetic acts lead to bodily collapse. The statement functions as a reasoned warning within a broader ethical discussion on right conduct and proper restraint.