Shloka 21

Daṇḍa-svarūpa-nirūpaṇa

The Nature, Forms, and Function of Daṇḍa

Devanagari script

स निकृष्टां कथां प्राज्ञो यदि बुद्धया बृहस्पति: । स्वभावमेष्यते तप्तं कृष्णायसमिवोदके

Transliteration

sa nikṛṣṭāṁ kathāṁ prājño yadi buddhyā bṛhaspatiḥ | svabhāvam eṣyate taptaṁ kṛṣṇāyasam ivodake ||

Translation

ଯଦି କୌଣସି ପ୍ରାଜ୍ଞ—ବୁଦ୍ଧିରେ ବୃହସ୍ପତି ସମାନ ହେଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ—କୌଣସି କାରଣରୁ ନିକୃଷ୍ଟ କିମ୍ବା ତୁଚ୍ଛ କଥା କହିଦିଏ, ତେବେ ସେ ତୁରନ୍ତ ନିଜ ଶାନ୍ତ ସ୍ୱଭାବକୁ ଫେରିଆସିବା ଉଚିତ; ଯେପରି ତପ୍ତ ଲୋହା ପାଣିରେ ପକାଇଲେ ଶାନ୍ତ ହୋଇଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निकृष्टाम्: base, low, inferior
• निकृष्टाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निकृष्ट
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कथाम्: speech, statement, talk
• कथाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्राज्ञः: wise
• प्राज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• बुद्ध्या: by intellect, with understanding
• बुद्ध्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• बृहस्पतिः: Bṛhaspati (the preceptor of gods)
• बृहस्पतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहस्पति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वभावम्: one's nature, disposition
• स्वभावम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वभाव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एष्यते: will go/come to, will attain
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (एष्/एष्य- गमनार्थे)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• तप्तम्: heated, made hot
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृष्णायसम्: iron (lit. black metal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णायस
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• उदके: in water
• उदके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bṛhaspati
• kṛṣṇāyasa (iron)
• udaka (water)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the wise may slip into harsh or low speech; the dharmic response is immediate restraint—returning to one’s शांत स्वभाव (calm disposition) rather than persisting in anger or impropriety.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on conduct (especially fitting for a ruler or discerning person), he uses a simile: as red-hot iron is cooled and steadied by water, so should a person cool the mind and revert to composure after an unworthy utterance.