Shloka 25

Jñāna-yoga and Karma-phala: Manu–Bṛhaspati on Akṣara and the Limits of Mantra

Devanagari script

त्वंकारं नामधेयं च ज्येष्ठानां परिवर्जयेत्‌ । अवराणां समानानामुभयेषां न दुष्यति,अपनेसे बड़ोंका नाम लेकर या तू कहकर न पुकारे, जो अपनेसे छोटे या समवयस्क हों, उनके लिये वैसा करना दोषकी बात नहीं है

Transliteration

tvaṃkāraṃ nāmadheyaṃ ca jyeṣṭhānāṃ parivarjayet | avarāṇāṃ samānānām ubhayeṣāṃ na duṣyati ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: Man soll vermeiden, Ältere mit ihrem persönlichen Namen anzureden oder sie mit dem vertraulichen „du“ (tvaṃ) anzusprechen. Bei Jüngeren oder Gleichaltrigen gilt eine solche Form jedoch für keine der beiden Seiten als Verfehlung. Die Lehre betont respektvolle Rede als praktische Ausprägung des Dharma im sozialen Umgang.

Word by Word

त्वंकारम्the address ‘thou’ (familiar ‘you’)

नामधेयम्name (proper name)

चand

ज्येष्ठानाम्of elders/seniors

परिवर्जयेत्should avoid

अवराणाम्of juniors/younger ones

समानानाम्of equals/peers

उभयेषाम्of both (groups)

नnot

दुष्यतिis faulty / incurs blame

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Respectful speech is part of dharma: do not address elders by name or with overly familiar ‘tvaṃ’; with juniors or equals, such address is not inherently blameworthy.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Bhīṣma lays down a rule of etiquette and moral discipline regarding how one should speak to elders, equals, and juniors.