Shloka 22
कालयुक्तधर्मविवेकः
Discerning Dharma in Accord with Time
परुषं ये न भाषन्ते कटुक॑ निष्ठुरं तथा । अपैशुन्यरता: सनन््तस्ते नरा: स्वर्गगामिन:
paruṣaṃ ye na bhāṣante kaṭukaṃ niṣṭhuraṃ tathā | apaiśunyaratāḥ santaḥ te narāḥ svargagāminaḥ ||
Maheshvara declares that those who do not speak harshly—avoiding bitter and cruel words—and who delight in non-slander, living as virtuous people, attain heaven.
श्रीमहेश्वर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Control of speech is a key dharmic discipline: one should avoid harsh, bitter, and cruel words, and refrain from slander/backbiting. Such purity of speech and conduct is praised as leading to auspicious spiritual destiny (svarga).
In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused setting, Śrīmaheśvara speaks a moral maxim, listing virtues of speech—gentleness and non-slander—and stating their फल (result): the virtuous attain heaven.