Shloka 42
Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa
Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results
भविता न त्वमत्यन्तं शुकत्वे नष्टवागिति । आवृत्तजिद्दस्य सतो वाक््यं कान््तं भविष्यति
bhavitā na tvam atyantaṃ śukatve naṣṭavāg iti | āvṛttajiddasya sato vākyaṃ kāntaṃ bhaviṣyati ||
Sinabi ni Bhishma: “Hindi ka mananatiling loro magpakailanman na nawalan ng pananalita. Kapag ang taong nagtagumpay sa sarili at tumalikod sa maling gawa ay tunay na marangal, ang kanyang mga salita ay magiging kaaya-aya at karapat-dapat pakinggan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Moral transformation is possible: a degraded condition (symbolized by ‘parrot-hood’ and loss of speech) is not permanent. When one turns back from wrongdoing and becomes truly virtuous, one’s speech becomes refined, beneficial, and pleasing—suggesting that ethical self-conquest purifies expression.
Bhīṣma reassures the addressed person that their current impaired state—being like a parrot and deprived of proper speech—will not last. He links the restoration and beauty of speech to inner victory: desisting from harmful conduct and becoming ‘sat’ (a good person) makes one’s words admirable.