Shloka 87

Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

उपेतार्थमभिन्नार्थ न्यायवृत्तं न चाधिकम्‌ । नाश्लक्ष्णं न च संदिग्धं वक्ष्यामि परमं ततः

Transliteration

upetārtham abhinnārthaṃ nyāyavṛttaṃ na cādhikam | nāślakṣṇaṃ na ca saṃdigdhaṃ vakṣyāmi paramaṃ tataḥ ||

Translation

Бхишма сказал: «Ныне я изреку высшее наставление — так, чтобы замысленный смысл был ясен, значение было согласным и цельным, опиралось на правое рассуждение и должное поведение; без излишеств и растянутости, без грубости и тьмы, без всякой двусмысленности».

Word by Word

उपेतार्थम्having the intended meaning / conveying the intended sense

अभिन्नार्थम्unambiguous in meaning / not differing in sense

न्यायवृत्तम्in accordance with propriety/logic; following right method

नnot

चand

अधिकम्excessive; more than necessary

नnot

अश्लक्ष्णम्not harsh/rough; not inelegant

नnot

चand

संदिग्धम्doubtful; ambiguous

वक्ष्यामिI shall speak / I will explain

परम्supreme; highest

ततःthereafter; then

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma sets a standard for dharmic instruction: speech should be purposeful, internally consistent, aligned with justice and right conduct, measured (not excessive), gentle (not harsh), and unambiguous—so that ethical truth can be received and applied without confusion.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s extended instruction, Bhīṣma transitions into a ‘highest’ teaching and prefaces it by assuring the listener that his forthcoming counsel will be clear, coherent, ethically grounded, and free from harshness or doubt.