Shloka 78
Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
युलभोवाच नवभिरन्नवश्िश्वैव दोषैर्वग्बुद्धिदूषणै: । अपेतमुपपन्नार्थमष्टादशगुणान्वितम्
sulabhovāca navabhir annaiva doṣair vāgbuddhidūṣaṇaiḥ | apetam upapannārtham aṣṭādaśaguṇānvitam ||
Sulabhā dit : «Ô roi, un énoncé (vākya) est un assemblage de mots dont le sens est cohérent et solidement établi, exempt des neuf fautes qui corrompent la parole et des neuf qui corrompent l’intelligence, et pourvu de dix-huit vertus. Dans un tel énoncé doivent se trouver cinq sortes de sens : la subtilité (saukṣmya), la clarté analytique (sāṅkhya), l’ordre juste, la détermination nette et un but explicite.»
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Sulabhā defines what counts as a proper, ethical, and intellectually sound statement: it must avoid faults that distort speech and understanding, possess recognized virtues, convey a coherent meaning, and include subtle precision, analytical clarity, orderly progression, definite conclusion, and a clear purpose.
In the Sulabhā–Janaka dialogue within the Śānti Parva, Sulabhā instructs the king on standards of correct discourse, setting criteria for meaningful speech as part of a broader philosophical exchange on wisdom and conduct.