Shloka 172

Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

कुले महति जातेन ह्वीमता दीर्घदर्शिना । नैतत्सदसि वक्तव्यं सद्वाउसद्वा मिथ: कृतम्‌,आप महान्‌ कुलमें उत्पन्न, लज्जाशील तथा दीर्घदर्शी पुरुष हैं। हम दोनोंने परस्पर भला या बुरा जो कुछ भी किया है, उसे आपको इस भरी सभामें नहीं कहना चाहिये

Transliteration

kule mahati jātena hrīmatā dīrghadarśinā | naitat sadasi vaktavyaṃ sad vā asad vā mithaḥ kṛtam ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: „Du bist in einem großen Geschlecht geboren, begabt mit Schamhaftigkeit und weitsichtigem Urteil. Darum soll, was zwischen uns geschehen ist—ob gut oder übel—in dieser vollbesetzten Versammlung nicht ausgesprochen werden.“

Word by Word

कुलेin a family

महतिgreat, noble

जातेनborn (as), having been born

ह्रीमताmodest, possessing shame

दीर्घदर्शिनाfar-sighted, prudent

नnot

एतत्this (matter)

सदसिin the assembly

वक्तव्यम्should be spoken / is to be said

सद्वाgood (deed/thing)

असद्वाbad (deed/thing)

मिथःmutually, between ourselves

कृतम्done, performed

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

an unnamed addressee (a noble, modest, far-sighted person)

sabhā/sadas (assembly)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when there are personal grievances or mutual wrongs, a wise and modest person should maintain decorum: private matters—whether praise or blame—should not be aired in a public assembly, where speech can inflame conflict and damage dignity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma addresses a respected person in a crowded court, urging restraint. He advises that whatever good or bad has occurred between them should not be discussed openly before the assembly, emphasizing prudence and the ethics of speech.