Shloka 7
नृशंस-लक्षणनिर्णयः | Determining the Marks of Cruel Conduct
Nṛśaṃsa
भीष्य उवाच एतच्छुत्वा वचो वायो: शाल्मलिब्रीडितस्तदा । अतप्यत वच: स्मृत्वा नारदो यत् तदाब्रवीत्,भीष्मजी कहते हैं--राजन्! वायुका यह वचन सुनकर सेमल उस समय लज्जित हो गया और नारदजीने जो कुछ कहा था, उसे याद करके वह बहुत पछताने लगा
bhīṣma uvāca | etac chrutvā vaco vāyoḥ śālmalī brīḍitas tadā | atapyata vacaḥ smṛtvā nārado yat tadābravīt ||
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai Raja, tatkala mendengar kata-kata Vāyu itu, pohon śālmalī pun diliputi rasa malu. Mengingati apa yang pernah diucapkan Nārada sebelumnya, ia terbakar oleh sesal dan menyesal dengan amat mendalam.”
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Pride is corrected by truthful counsel; when one recognizes the weight of wise instruction (here, Nārada’s earlier words) and the rebuke of a higher principle (Vāyu), shame can become a doorway to repentance and ethical self-correction.
Bhīṣma narrates that after Vāyu speaks, the śālmalī tree feels ashamed; recalling Nārada’s prior admonition, it becomes inwardly tormented—signaling a moral turning point prompted by remembered guidance.