Shloka 8
Devanagari script
संवादे परुषाण्याहुर्युधिष्ठिर नराधमा: । प्रत्याहुर्मध्यमास्त्वेतेडनुक्ता: परुषमुत्तरम्
Transliteration
saṃvāde paruṣāṇy āhur yudhiṣṭhira narādhamāḥ | pratyāhur madhyamās tv ete anuktāḥ paruṣam uttaram ||
Translation
ユディシュティラは言った。「日常の会話において、最も卑しいのは先に荒い言葉を吐く者である。自らは荒言を始めず、挑発されて荒く言い返す者は中ほどの者。だが、堅忍にして真に高貴な者は、他人が荒言を浴びせようと浴びせまいと、害ある苛烈な言葉を決して口から漏らさぬ。」
Word by Word
संवादेin conversation
संवादे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसंवाद
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
परुषाणिharsh (words/things)
परुषाणि:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपरुष
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
आहुःthey say
आहुः:
TypeVerb
Rootअह्
FormPerfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
युधिष्ठिरO Yudhiṣṭhira
युधिष्ठिर:
TypeNoun
Rootयुधिष्ठिर
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
नराधमाःthe lowest of men
नराधमाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनराधम
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
प्रत्याहुःthey reply/say in return
प्रत्याहुः:
TypeVerb
Rootप्रति+अह्
FormPerfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
मध्यमाःmiddling (men)
मध्यमाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमध्यम
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तुbut
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
एतेthese
एते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
अनुक्ताःnot having spoken (first)
अनुक्ताः:
TypeAdjective
Rootअनुक्त
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
परुषम्harsh (speech)
परुषम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपरुष
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
उत्तरम्an answer/reply
उत्तरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootउत्तर
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
युधिष्ठिरO Yudhiṣṭhira
युधिष्ठिर:
TypeNoun
Rootयुधिष्ठिर
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
Speaker
युधिछिर उवाच
Characters & Entities
Y
YudhiṣṭhiraCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse ranks people by their relationship to harsh speech: the worst initiate cruelty in words, the middling retaliate only when provoked, and the truly noble maintain restraint and avoid harmful speech regardless of others’ behavior.
In the Sabha Parva’s ethical discussions, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a standard of conduct centered on vāg-dharma (righteous speech), emphasizing self-mastery and non-harm in dialogue.