Shloka 2736
आकेशाग्रान्नखाग्राच्च वक्तव्यो वक्तुमिच्छसि । तू स्वयं ही दुराचारी, नीच और पापपूर्ण विचार रखनेवाला है। नखसे शिखातक पापमें डूबा होनेके कारण निन्दाके योग्य है, तथापि दूसरोंकी निन््दा करना चाहता है
ākeśāgrān nakhāgrāc ca vaktavyo vaktum icchasi | tvaṃ svayaṃ hi durācārī nīcaḥ pāpapūrṇa-vicāraḥ | nakhāt śikhāntakaṃ pāpe nimagno nindya eva tathāpi parān ninditum icchasi ||
धृष्टद्युम्न उवाच—आकेशाग्रान्नखाग्राच्च वक्तव्यो वक्तुमिच्छसि । स्वयमेव दुराचारो नीचः पापसङ्कल्पवान्; नखशिखान्तं पापे निमग्नो निन्द्यस्त्वं, तथापि परान् निन्दितुमिच्छसि ॥
धृष्टह्युम्न उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse condemns hypocrisy: one who is morally compromised throughout has no ethical standing to judge others. It emphasizes that criticism should be grounded in one’s own integrity and right conduct (ācāra).
In the heated exchanges of the Drona Parva battlefield setting, Dhṛṣṭadyumna rebukes an opponent’s attempt to lecture or blame others, turning the accusation back by highlighting the opponent’s pervasive wrongdoing and blameworthy character.