Shloka 85
Prohibitions and Rules of Right Conduct (Ācāra): Theft, Speech, Purity, Residence, and Social Boundaries
विगृह्य वादं कृत्वा वा प्रवेशं च विवर्जयेत् । नखादन्ब्राह्मणस्तिष्ठेन्न जल्पेद्वा हसेद्बुधः
vigṛhya vādaṃ kṛtvā vā praveśaṃ ca vivarjayet | nakhādanbrāhmaṇastiṣṭhenna jalpedvā hasedbudhaḥ
Habiendo reñido o entablado disputa, debe abstenerse de entrar (en el lugar o asamblea). Un brāhmaṇa no debe permanecer allí mordiéndose las uñas; el sabio no debe ni charlar ni reír (allí).
Unspecified (narrative/instructional voice within Svarga-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: After quarrel or contentious speech, withdraw rather than enter sacred/social spaces; bodily habits and idle talk disturb sattva and diminish brahminical/wise decorum.
Application: If emotionally heated, pause before entering meetings/temples; avoid nervous habits (nail-biting) and performative chatter; practice mindful silence and respectful demeanor in sacred or formal settings.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"At the entrance of a temple hall, a learned man pauses outside, hands folded, choosing silence after a recent dispute. Inside, sages sit in orderly rows; the threshold becomes a moral boundary where agitation is left behind and composure is regained.","primary_figures":["wise person/brāhmaṇa","temple doorkeeper (optional)","seated sages/reciters"],"setting":"Temple mandapa or learned sabhā with a prominent threshold and pillars","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["stone gray","lamp gold","saffron cloth","palm-leaf green","smoke white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: temple threshold scene with ornate pillars, gold-leaf lamp halos, a brāhmaṇa standing outside in restraint with folded hands, inside a sabhā of sages with palm-leaf manuscripts, rich reds/greens and embossed gold borders emphasizing decorum and silence.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: quiet moment at a mandapa entrance, delicate facial expression of self-restraint, soft light filtering through pillars, sages seated within, cool grays and greens with fine brushwork and lyrical stillness.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized temple doorway, bold outlines, the restrained figure at the threshold, interior sages in rhythmic arrangement, warm ochres and reds with green accents, iconic gestures of silence and discipline.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate mandapa with floral borders, lamps and lotus motifs, a devotee at the threshold practicing mauna, inside kīrtana/recitation implied, deep indigo background with gold highlights and symmetrical composition."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft conch in distance","low drone (tanpura)","temple bell fade","intentional silence pauses"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नखादन्+ब्राह्मणः → नखादन्ब्राह्मणः; तिष्ठेत्+न → तिष्ठेन्न; जल्पेत्+वा → जल्पेद्वा; हसेत्+बुधः → हसेद्बुधः.
FAQs
It advises restraint: avoid entering after quarrels or debates, and maintain dignified behavior—no nail-biting, idle talk, or laughter—especially in formal or sacred contexts.
Nail-biting is treated as a sign of restlessness and lack of decorum; the verse discourages such anxious or impure mannerisms for those expected to embody discipline (notably brāhmaṇas).
The ethical lesson is self-mastery: one should avoid bringing agitation into an assembly and should practice composure, seriousness, and respectful silence when appropriate.