Shloka 9
नचोक्ता नैव चानुक्तास्त्वहिता: परुषा गिर: | प्रतिजल्पन्ति वै धीरा: सदा तूत्तमपूरुषा:
na coktā naiva cānuktās tv ahitāḥ paruṣā giraḥ | pratijalpanti vai dhīrāḥ sadā tūttama-pūruṣāḥ ||
धीर व उत्तम पुरुष न तर आधी अहितकर कठोर वचन बोलतात, न प्रत्युत्तरात. दुसरे कटु बोलोत वा न बोलोत, त्यांच्या मुखातून क्रूर व हानिकारक वाणी निघत नाही.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches restraint in speech: harmful, harsh words should not be initiated and should not be returned even as retaliation. True excellence is shown by maintaining gentle, beneficial speech regardless of provocation.
In the Sabha Parva context, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a standard of noble conduct, classifying people by how they respond to harsh speech and presenting the ideal of the self-controlled ‘uttama-pūruṣa’ who never speaks injuriously.