tips for a contented life

१  युधिष्टिरः

       किं कर्तव्यं मनुष्येण लोकयात्रा हितार्थिना

      कथं वै लोकयात्रां तु किम् शीलश् च समाचरेत्

  २  भीष्म

      कायेन त्रिविधं कर्म वाचा चापि चतुर्विधं

      मनसा त्रिविधं चैव दश कर्म पथाम्स्त्यजेत्

  ३ प्राणातिपातं स्तैन्यं च परदानं अथापि च

      त्रीणि पापानि कायेन सर्वतः परिवर्जयेत्

  ४ असत् प्रलापं पारुष्यं पैशुन्यं अनृतं तथा

      चत्वारि वाचा राजेन्द्र न जल्पेन् नानुचिन्तयेत्

  ५ अनभिध्या परस्वेषु सर्वसत्त्वेषु सौहृदं

      कर्मणां फलं अस्तीति त्रिविधं मनसा चरेत्

  ६ तस्माद् वाक्कायमनसा नाचरेद् अशुभं। नराः

      शुभाशुभान्याचरन् हि तस्य तस्याश्नुते फलम्

महाभारते आनुशासिकपर्वणि  १३

1  yudhiṣṭiraḥ

      kiṁ kartavyaṁ manuṣyeṇa lokayātrā hitārthinā

      kathaṁ vai lokayātrāṁ tu kim śīlaś ca samācaret

  2  bhīīṣma

      kāyena trividhaṁ karma vācā cāpi caturvidhaṁ

      manasā trividhaṁ caiva daśa karma pathāmstyajet

  3 prāṇātipātaṁ stainyaṁ ca paradānaṁ athāpi ca

      trīṇi pāpāni kāyena sarvataḥ parivarjayet

  4 asat pralāpaṁ pāruṣyaṁ paiśunyaṁ anṛtaṁ tathā

      catvāri vācā rājendra na jalpen nānucintayet

  5 anabhidhyā parasveṣu sarvasattveṣu sauhṛdaṁ

      karmaṇāṁ phalaṁ astīti trividhaṁ manasā caret

  6 tasmād vākkāyamanasā nācared aśubhaṁ| narāḥ

      śubhāśubhānyācaran hi tasya tasyāśnute phalam

mahābhārate ānuśāsikaparvaṇi  13

"Yudhishthira said, 'What should a man do in order to pass pleasantly through this and the other world?
 How, indeed, should one conduct oneself? 

What practices should one adopt with this end in view?'

"Bhishma replied ,

 'One should avoid the three acts that are done with the body, the four that are done with speech, the three that are done with the mind.. 

The three acts that are done with the body and should be wholly avoided are the destruction of the lives of other creatures, theft or appropriation of what belongs to other persons, and the enjoyment of other people's wives.

 The four acts that are done with speech, O king, and that should never be indulged in or even thought of, are evil conversation, harsh words, publishing other people's faults, and falsehood.

 Coveting the possessions of others, doing injury to others, and lack of faith and lack  obedience to the instructions contained in  the Vedas, are the three acts done with the mind which should always be avoided.  Hence, one should never do any evil act in word, body, or mind. By doing good and evil acts, one is sure to enjoy or endure the just consequences thereof. Nothing can be more certain than this.'"

Anusaasika parvam is where bheeshmapitamaha is lying in a bed of arrows waiting for relinquishing his  vital energy with the advent of uttarayana.  The noble yudishtira along with the blessed Krishna and others are in converstion with him about the  laws of life.  The entire conversation attains added  sacredness on account of the divine presence of Krishna and the laws laid down by bheeshma have influenced all later lawmakers and scholars including chanakya to the modern authors of the Constitution.

Please watch what bheeshma prescribes about the four evil deeds to be avoided in speech.   Evil conversation or gossip, intemperate words, giving publicity to others' faults and telling lies.   Other qualities espoused by bheeshma  like nonviolence, undue desire for others wealth  debauchery.  Bheeshma is categoric in stating that  if bad deeds are perpetuated in this world the doer will definitely  pay the price for it.