Shloka 30

Treasury Security, Protection of Informants, and the Kalakavṛkṣīya Exemplum (Śānti Parva 83)

Devanagari script

दुर्व्याह्वताच्छड्कमानो दुष्कृताद्‌ दुरधिषछितात्‌ | दुरासिताद्‌ दुर्वजितादिल्धितादड्रचेष्टितात्‌,मुँहसे कोई बुरी बात न निकल जाय, कोई बुरा काम न बन जाय, खड़ा होते, किसी आसनपर बैठते, चलते, संकेत करते तथा किसी अंगके द्वारा कोई चेष्टा करते समय असभ्यता अथवा बेअदबी न हो जाय, इसके लिये सदा सतर्क रहना चाहिये

Transliteration

durvyāhṛtāc chaḍkamāno duṣkṛtād duradhiṣṭhitāt | durāsitād durvajitād īḍhitād duṣceṣṭitāt ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : Il faut demeurer toujours vigilant afin qu’aucune parole inconvenante ne s’échappe de la bouche et qu’aucun acte fautif ne soit commis ; afin que, en se levant, en s’asseyant, en marchant, en faisant un geste ou en remuant un membre, il n’y ait ni manquement au décorum ni irrespect. Cette surveillance constante de soi-même est la sauvegarde d’une conduite droite.

Word by Word

दुर्व्याहृतात्from improper speech/utterance

छड्कमानःavoiding/warding off (intending to avoid)

दुष्कृतात्from evil deed/sin

दुरधिष्ठितात्from being ill-governed/ill-controlled

दुरासितात्from sitting improperly

दुर्वजितात्from improper movement/going

दुर्ललितात्from improper gestures/indecorous behavior

दुरचेष्टितात्from improper actions/gesticulations

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Constant vigilance over speech and bodily behavior is essential to dharma: one must prevent rude words, wrongful deeds, and even subtle discourtesies in posture, movement, and gestures.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous living, Bhīṣma continues advising on practical ethics—how a person should regulate everyday conduct so that disrespect or impropriety does not arise through speech or bodily actions.