Shloka 24
Śakuni–Duryodhana-saṃvāda: Dyūta-yojanā (Śakuni and Duryodhana on Planning the Dice-Game)
आत्मनिन्दा55त्मपूजा च परनिन्दा परस्तव: । अनाचरितमार्याणां वृत्तमेतच्चतुर्विधम्,भीष्म! अपनी निन्दा, अपनी प्रशंसा, दूसरेकी निन््दा और दूसरेकी स्तुति--ये चार प्रकारके कार्य पहलेके श्रेष्ठ पुरुषोंने कभी नहीं किये हैं
ātmanindā ātmapūjā ca paranindā parastavaḥ | anācaritam āryāṇāṃ vṛttam etac caturvidham, bhīṣma ||
Śiśupāla berkata: “Mencela diri, memuji diri, mencela orang lain, dan memuji orang lain—empat macam perilaku ini, wahai Bhīṣma, tidak pernah diamalkan oleh para ārya yang mulia pada zaman dahulu.”
शिशुपाल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical ideal of restrained, dignified speech: an ārya should avoid four tendencies—self-denigration, self-praise, blaming others, and flattering others—because they distort judgment and undermine principled discourse.
In the royal assembly context of the Sabha Parva, Śiśupāla addresses Bhīṣma and invokes standards of ‘noble’ conduct to criticize certain forms of speech and behavior, positioning himself as appealing to traditional ethical norms during a heated court exchange.