Shloka 35

Devanagari script

कीर्तयानो नरो होतान्‌ मुच्यते सर्वकिल्बिषै: । स्तुवंश्व प्रतिनन्दंश्व मुच्यते सर्वतो भयात्‌

Transliteration

kīrtayāno naro hotān mucyate sarvakilbiṣaiḥ | stuvaṃś ca pratinandaṃś ca mucyate sarvato bhayāt ||

Translation

ภีษมะกล่าวว่า— ผู้ใดกล่าวขานและสรรเสริญบรรดาโหตฤผู้ประกอบยัญพิธี ผู้นั้นย่อมพ้นจากมลทินบาปทั้งปวง และผู้ใดสรรเสริญพร้อมทั้งยินดีอนุโมทนาในคุณความดีของเขา ผู้นั้นย่อมหลุดพ้นจากความหวาดกลัวรอบด้าน

Word by Word

कीर्तयन्praising/reciting (the praises of)

नरःa man

होतान्the Hotṛ priests

मुच्यतेis freed

सर्वकिल्बिषैःfrom all sins/offences

स्तुवन्praising

चand

प्रतिनन्दन्approving/commending

चand

मुच्यतेis freed

सर्वतःfrom every side / entirely

भयात्from fear

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

hotṛ/hotā (sacrificers, yajña-performers)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Honoring righteous action—by recounting, praising, and approving it—purifies the speaker from sin and cultivates fearlessness; ethical speech aligned with dharma becomes a means of inner cleansing and security.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma continues instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and conduct. Here he emphasizes the spiritual benefit of speaking well of those who perform sacred duties (yajña), presenting praise and appreciative acknowledgment as morally transformative acts.