Shloka 78
Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
युलभोवाच नवभिरन्नवश्िश्वैव दोषैर्वग्बुद्धिदूषणै: । अपेतमुपपन्नार्थमष्टादशगुणान्वितम्
sulabhovāca navabhir annaiva doṣair vāgbuddhidūṣaṇaiḥ | apetam upapannārtham aṣṭādaśaguṇānvitam ||
Sulabhā berkata: “Wahai Raja, suatu pernyataan (vākya) ialah himpunan kata yang maknanya padu dan teguh, bebas daripada sembilan kecacatan yang mencemari pertuturan dan sembilan yang mencemari akal, serta dihiasi lapan belas kebajikan. Dalam pernyataan demikian hendaklah ada lima jenis makna: kehalusan (saukṣmya), kejelasan analitis (sāṅkhya), susunan yang tepat, ketetapan yang jelas, dan tujuan yang nyata.”
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Sulabhā defines what counts as a proper, ethical, and intellectually sound statement: it must avoid faults that distort speech and understanding, possess recognized virtues, convey a coherent meaning, and include subtle precision, analytical clarity, orderly progression, definite conclusion, and a clear purpose.
In the Sulabhā–Janaka dialogue within the Śānti Parva, Sulabhā instructs the king on standards of correct discourse, setting criteria for meaningful speech as part of a broader philosophical exchange on wisdom and conduct.