Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 13

Vipulopākhyāna—Ruci-rakṣā and Śakra’s Māyā (विपुलोपाख्यानम्—रुचिरक्षणं शक्रमाया च)

हेतुवादान्‌ ब्रुवन्‌ सत्सु विजेताहेतुवादिक: । आक्रोष्टा चातिवक्ता च ब्राह्मणानां सदैव हि

bhīṣma uvāca | hetuvādān bruvan satsu vijetāhetuvādikaḥ | ākroṣṭā cātivaktā ca brāhmaṇānāṃ sadaiva hi |

Dijo Bhishma: Quien, en la asamblea de los virtuosos, profiere meras disputas y vence por sofistería; quien grita injurias y habla en exceso, sin freno—especialmente contra los brāhmaṇas—debe ser tenido por impuro en lo social. Los sabios lo han comparado con un perro.

हेतुवादान्logical disputations / sophistical arguments
हेतुवादान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootहेतुवाद
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
ब्रुवन्speaking / uttering
ब्रुवन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootब्रू
FormPresent, Singular, Parasmaipada, Present active participle (masc. nom. sg.)
सत्सुamong the good / in the assembly of the virtuous
सत्सु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसत्
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
विजेताa conqueror / winner
विजेता:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootविजेतृ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अहेतुवादिकःone who argues without valid reasons (a sophister)
अहेतुवादिकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअहेतुवादिक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
आक्रोष्टाa reviler / one who shouts abuse
आक्रोष्टा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootआक्रोष्टृ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अतिवक्ताone who speaks excessively / speaks beyond bounds
अतिवक्ता:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअतिवक्तृ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
ब्राह्मणानाम्of Brahmins
ब्राह्मणानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootब्राह्मण
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
सदैवalways
सदैव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसदा + एव
हिindeed / for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma (Bhīṣma)
B
Brahmins (Brāhmaṇāḥ)
T
the virtuous/good people (satsu)

Educational Q&A

Bhishma condemns winning debates through empty sophistry and abusive loud speech, especially when directed at Brahmins and the virtuous. True dharma requires disciplined reasoning aligned with śāstra and respectful conduct; mere contentious logic and reviling speech mark a person as socially and morally impure.

In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma is instructing Yudhishthira on dharma and proper conduct. Here he characterizes a type of person—one who relies on captious argument and reviling speech in the assembly of good people—and states that such a person should be treated as impure and is censured by the wise.