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 |
Bhīṣma dit : Celui qui, dans l’assemblée des hommes de bien, ne profère que des disputes et l’emporte par sophismes ; celui qui vocifère des injures et parle avec excès, sans retenue—surtout envers les brāhmanes—doit être tenu pour impur dans la société. Les sages l’ont comparé à un chien.
भीष्म उवाच
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.