Shloka 50
Adhyāya 208: Aṅgirasī-kanyāḥ
Enumeration of Aṅgiras’ daughters and attribute-names
अब्रुवन् कस्यचिचन्निन्दामात्मपूजामवर्णयन् । न कश्चिद् गुणसम्पन्न: प्रकाशो भुवि दृश्यते,किसी दूसरेकी निन््दा न करे, अपनी मान-प्रतिष्ठाकी प्रशंसा न करे, कोई भी गुणवान् पुरुष पर निन्दा और आत्मप्रशंसाका त्याग किये बिना इस भूमण्डलमें सम्मानित हुआ हो, यह नहीं देखा जाता है
abruvan kasyacic chan-nindām ātma-pūjām avarṇayan | na kaścid guṇa-sampannaḥ prakāśo bhuvi dṛśyate ||
The hunter said: “One should not speak ill of anyone, nor advertise one’s own honor and importance. For it is not seen in this world that any truly virtuous person becomes widely esteemed while still clinging to slander of others and self-praise.”
व्याध उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ethical speech is a mark of dharma: avoid criticizing others (nindā) and avoid self-praise (ātma-pūjā). True virtue and lasting respect arise with humility and restraint, not through putting others down or advertising oneself.
In the Vyādha’s instruction (within Vana Parva), the hunter teaches a moral principle: social honor and genuine virtue are incompatible with habits of slander and self-glorification, so one should abandon both.