Shloka 15

वक्‍्त्राच्छशशाडकसदृशाद्‌ वाणी संस्कारभूषणा । व्रीडिता सा तु तद्घाक्यमुक्त्वा परवशा तदा,उस चन्द्रोपम मुखसे जब यह संस्कृत वाणी प्रकट हुई तब वह पराधीन हुई रुचि वह वाक्य कह देनेके कारण बहुत लज्जित हुई

vaktrāc chaśāṅka-sadṛśād vāṇī saṃskāra-bhūṣaṇā | vrīḍitā sā tu tad-vākyam uktvā paravaśā tadā ||

Bhishma dit : De son visage pareil à la lune s’éleva une parole raffinée et bien formée, ornée par une juste discipline. Mais, après avoir prononcé ces mots, elle fut saisie de honte ; et, à cet instant, elle se trouva sans recours, comme soumise au pouvoir d’autrui.

वक्त्रात्from the mouth/face
वक्त्रात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootवक्त्र
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
शशाङ्कसदृशात्from (a face) resembling the moon
शशाङ्कसदृशात्:
Apadana
TypeAdjective
Rootशशाङ्कसदृश
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
वाणीspeech, voice
वाणी:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवाणी
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
संस्कारभूषणाadorned with refinement (i.e., cultured/ornamented by good diction)
संस्कारभूषणा:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसंस्कारभूषण
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
व्रीडिताashamed, embarrassed
व्रीडिता:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootव्रीडित
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
साshe
सा:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut, however
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
तत्that
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
वाक्यम्sentence, utterance
वाक्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवाक्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
उक्त्वाhaving said
उक्त्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)
परवशाdependent, under another’s control
परवशा:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपरवश
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
तदाthen, at that time
तदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
A
a woman (unnamed in this verse)
M
moon (as a simile)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the ethical weight of speech: refined, well-cultivated words (saṃskāra-bhūṣaṇā vāṇī) are powerful, yet speaking can also expose one to vulnerability and shame. It implicitly commends restraint and awareness of consequences in utterance, especially in delicate social or moral situations.

Bhishma describes a woman whose moon-like face gives rise to polished speech; however, immediately after speaking, she feels embarrassed and becomes ‘paravaśā’—as if rendered helpless or dependent due to having voiced that statement.