Shloka 7
Jñāna-yoga and Karma-phala: Manu–Bṛhaspati on Akṣara and the Limits of Mantra
Devanagari script
आर्द्रपाणि: समुत्तिछेन्नार्द्रपाद: स्वपेन्निशि । देवर्षिनरिद: प्राह एतदाचारलक्षणम्
Transliteration
ārdrapāṇiḥ samuttiṣṭhenn ārdrapādaḥ svapenn niśi | devarṣir naridaḥ prāha etad ācāralakṣaṇam ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“不可手湿而起，亦不可足湿而夜卧。”天仙圣者那罗陀宣称，此乃端正行仪之征。
Word by Word
आर्द्रपाणिःone whose hands are wet
आर्द्रपाणिः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootआर्द्रपाणि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
समुत्तिष्ठेत्should rise up
समुत्तिष्ठेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootस्था (उत्+सम्)
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
आर्द्रपादःone whose feet are wet
आर्द्रपादः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootआर्द्रपाद
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
स्वपेत्should sleep
स्वपेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootस्वप्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
निशिat night
निशि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootनिशा
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
देवर्षिःthe divine sage
देवर्षिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदेवर्षि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नरदःNarada
नरदः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनारद
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्राहsaid
प्राह:
TypeVerb
Rootअह्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
एतत्this
एतत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
आचारलक्षणम्the mark/definition of proper conduct
आचारलक्षणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआचारलक्षण
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaN
NāradaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches attentiveness to personal discipline and cleanliness as part of dharma: certain small habits (like not rising with wet hands and not sleeping with wet feet) are presented as signs of proper conduct (ācāra).
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs on dharma and right living; here he cites the authority of the seer Nārada to define a specific ‘mark of good conduct’ (ācāralakṣaṇa) in everyday behavior.