Shloka 12

कृपवाक्यं तथा नीत्युपदेशः

Kṛpa’s Counsel and a Discourse on Statecraft

Devanagari script

वृद्धानुशासने तात तिष्ठता सत्यशीलिना । अवश्यं त्विह धीरेण सतां मध्ये विवक्षता

Transliteration

vṛddhānuśāsane tāta tiṣṭhatā satyaśīlinā | avaśyaṃ tv iha dhīreṇa satāṃ madhye vivakṣatā ||

Translation

വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—താതാ, മൂപ്പന്മാരുടെ അനുശാസനത്തിൽ നിലകൊണ്ട് സത്യശീലനായി പെരുമാറുമ്പോൾ, ഇവിടെ സജ്ജന്മാരുടെ മദ്ധ്യേ നീ ധൈര്യത്തോടും ആത്മസംയമത്തോടും കൂടി നിർബന്ധമായി സംസാരിക്കണം।

Word by Word

वृद्धानुशासनेin/under the instruction of elders

तातO dear (son)!

तिष्ठताby (one) standing/abiding

सत्यशीलिनाby one of truthful conduct

अवश्यंcertainly/necessarily

त्वyou

इहhere/in this matter

धीरेणby a wise/steadfast (person)

सताम्of the good/virtuous (people)

मध्येin the midst/among

विवक्षताby one wishing to speak

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

elders (vṛddhāḥ)

the virtuous/good people (satāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should accept the discipline of elders, remain truthful in character, and speak only with calm steadiness—especially when addressing or speaking among the virtuous.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, as narrator, frames a moment of counsel about proper conduct: in a setting where respected elders and good people are present, the speaker is urged to abide by guidance and to speak with composed truthfulness.