Shloka 5
अध्याय २९ — वासुदेव–संजय संवादः
Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and the Ethics of Governance
न मर्मगां जातु वक्तासि रूक्षां नोपश्रुतिं कटुकां नोत मुक्ताम् । धर्मारामामर्थवतीमहिंस्रा- मेतां वाचं तव जानीम सूत
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
na marmagāṃ jātu vaktāsi rūkṣāṃ nopśrutiṃ kaṭukāṃ nota muktām |
dharmārāmām arthavatīm ahiṃsrām etāṃ vācaṃ tava jānīma sūta, sūta ||
युधिष्ठिर उवाच—सूत, न जातु त्वं मर्मगां रूक्षां वाचं वदसि, न कटुकाम्, न चोपश्रुतिं प्रमादतः मुक्ताम्। न च शुष्कामप्रासङ्गिकीं वाचं ब्रूषे। धर्मानुरूपां मनोहरामर्थवतीम अहिंस्रां तव वाचं वयं जानीमः।
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse upholds ‘right speech’: words should not be cruel or strike at another’s vulnerable core, should avoid bitter gossip or careless utterance, and should be aligned with dharma—pleasant in a righteous way, meaningful, and non-harmful in intention.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a Sūta respectfully, commending him for consistently speaking in a dharmic, purposeful, and non-violent manner—setting a moral tone for counsel amid rising conflict.