Shloka 8
Adhyāya 115: On Restraint Under Verbal Provocation in the Assembly (सभायां आक्रोश-सहिष्णुता)
प्राकृतो हि प्रशंसन् वा निन्दन् वा कि करिष्यति । वने काक इवाबुद्धिर्वाशमानो निरर्थकम्
prākṛto hi praśaṁsan vā nindan vā kiṁ kariṣyati | vane kāka ivābuddhir vāśamāno nirarthakam ||
Bhishma said: “What can an uncultivated, foolish person really accomplish by praising or by blaming? Like a crow in the forest cawing pointlessly, the witless man makes noise without purpose. Whether he commends or condemns, he cannot truly bring about anyone’s good or harm.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not be disturbed by the praise or blame of the foolish and unrefined; such speech is often empty noise and has little real power to benefit or harm. One should value discerning judgment over meaningless public opinion.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhishma advises the listener that the words of a fool—whether flattering or condemning—are like a crow’s purposeless cawing in a forest and should not be taken as decisive or consequential.