Shloka 18
Devanagari script
यस्मादुद्विजते लोक: सर्वो मृत्युमुखादिव । वाक् क्रूराद् दण्डपरुषात् स प्राप्रोति महद् भयम्
Transliteration
yasmād udvijate lokaḥ sarvo mṛtyumukhād iva | vāk krūrād daṇḍaparuṣāt sa prāpnoti mahad bhayam ||
Translation
Ce devant quoi le monde entier recule comme devant la bouche même de la Mort—la parole dure, cruelle, tranchante comme un bâton—attire une grande peur sur celui qui s’en sert.
Word by Word
यस्मात्from whom/which
यस्मात्:
Apadana
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
Formmasculine/neuter, ablative, singular
उद्विजतेis frightened/shudders
उद्विजते:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootउद्+√विज्
Formpresent, 3rd, singular, Atmanepada
लोकःthe world/people
लोकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootलोक
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
सर्वःentire/all
सर्वः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
मृत्युमुखात्from the mouth of death (i.e., from death’s jaws)
मृत्युमुखात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु-मुख
Formneuter, ablative, singular
इवas if/like
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
वाक्speech/words
वाक्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवाच्
Formfeminine, nominative, singular
क्रूरात्from the cruel (one/thing)
क्रूरात्:
Apadana
TypeAdjective
Rootक्रूर
Formmasculine/neuter, ablative, singular
दण्डपरुषात्from harsh (speech) like a rod; very severe
दण्डपरुषात्:
Apadana
TypeAdjective
Rootदण्ड-परुष
Formmasculine/neuter, ablative, singular
सःhe/that person
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
प्राप्नोतिattains/incurs
प्राप्नोति:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootप्र+√आप्
Formpresent, 3rd, singular, Parasmaipada
महत्great
महत्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत्
Formneuter, accusative, singular
भयम्fear
भयम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभय
Formneuter, accusative, singular
Speaker
तुलाधार उवाच
Characters & Entities
L
loka (people/the world)M
mṛtyu (Death, personified)Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Cruel, punitive speech is itself a form of harm: since everyone fears it like death, the one who uses such words invites great fear and danger upon himself; dharma requires restraint and gentleness in speech.
In Śānti Parva, Tulādhāra continues his ethical instruction, warning that harsh, punishing words terrify society and rebound upon the speaker as serious peril.