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Shloka 34

आचारप्रशंसा

Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity

कर्णिनालीकनाराचान्‌ निर्हरन्ति शरीरत: । वाक्‌शल्यस्तु न निर्हर्तु शक्यो हृदिशयो हि सः

karṇinālīkanārācān nirharanti śarīrataḥ | vākśalyas tu na nirhartuṃ śakyo hṛdiśayo hi saḥ ||

ภีษมะกล่าวว่า— ลูกศรมีเงี่ยง เช่น กรรณิน นาลีก และนาราจ เมื่อปักอยู่ในกาย แพทย์ยังถอนออกได้; แต่ลูกศรแห่งวาจาหยาบนั้นถอนออกไม่ได้ เพราะมันฝังอยู่ในหัวใจ

कर्णि-नालीक-नाराचान्barbed arrows, reed-arrows, and iron arrows
कर्णि-नालीक-नाराचान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकर्णि + नालीक + नाराच
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
निर्हरन्तिthey extract/remove
निर्हरन्ति:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootनिर्हृ (निर् + √हृ)
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
शरीरतःfrom the body
शरीरतः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootशरीर
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
वाक्-शल्यःthe thorn/arrow of speech (verbal wound)
वाक्-शल्यः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवाक् + शल्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut/however
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
निर्हर्तुम्to extract/remove
निर्हर्तुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootनिर्हृ (निर् + √हृ)
FormInfinitive (Tumun)
शक्यःpossible/able
शक्यः:
TypeAdjective
Rootशक्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हृदि-शयःlying in the heart
हृदि-शयः:
TypeAdjective
Rootहृद् + शय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
सःit/he (that)
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
K
karṇin (arrow)
N
nālīka (arrow)
N
nārāca (arrow)
P
physicians (implied)

Educational Q&A

Physical injuries may be treated and removed, but the pain caused by cruel or cutting words is harder to heal because it remains lodged in the heart; therefore one should practice restraint and compassion in speech.

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma and conduct, he uses a battlefield image—different kinds of arrows being extracted from the body—to contrast bodily wounds with the deeper, lasting wound inflicted by speech.