Shloka 4
Gṛdhra–Jambuka Saṃvāda (Dialogue of the Vulture and the Jackal) — On Grief, Kāla, and Resolve
वर्चनैर्मधुरै: स्निग्धैरसंक्लिष्टमनोहरै: । कन्दरेषु च शैलानां नदीनां निर्झरिषु च
varcanair madhuraiḥ snigdhair asaṅkliṣṭa-manoharaiḥ | kandareṣu ca śailānāṁ nadīnāṁ nirjhariṣu ca |
Bhishma disse: “Com tuas palavras doces, afetuosas, serenas e encantadoras, alegraste-me. Tenho vagado contigo pelas cavernas das montanhas, ao longo dos rios e perto de suas fontes que descem em cascata.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical power of speech: gentle, affectionate, and untroubling words can bring joy and sustain harmony. In the Shanti Parva’s moral instruction, such speech is a practical form of dharma—creating peace through self-controlled, pleasing communication.
The speaker recalls being delighted by another’s sweet and affectionate words and remembers shared wanderings in natural settings—mountain caves, riverbanks, and near cascades—using serene landscape imagery to convey intimacy, comfort, and the emotional effect of kind speech.