Shloka 8
Adhyāya 115: On Restraint Under Verbal Provocation in the Assembly (सभायां आक्रोश-सहिष्णुता)
प्राकृतो हि प्रशंसन् वा निन्दन् वा कि करिष्यति । वने काक इवाबुद्धिर्वाशमानो निरर्थकम्,जैसे वनमें कौआ व्यर्थ ही काँव-काँव किया करता है, उसी तरह मूर्ख मनुष्य भी अकारण ही निन्दा करता है। वह प्रशंसा करे या निन्दा, किसीका क्या भला या बुरा करेगा? अर्थात् कुछ भी नहीं कर सकेगा
prākṛto hi praśaṁsan vā nindan vā kiṁ kariṣyati | vane kāka ivābuddhir vāśamāno nirarthakam ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Ano nga ba ang magagawa ng magaspang at hangal sa papuri o paninisi? Gaya ng uwak sa gubat na kumakaw nang walang saysay, ang walang isip ay nag-iingay na walang layon. Magpuri man siya o manlait, hindi niya tunay na maihahatid ang kabutihan o kapinsalaan kaninuman.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not be disturbed by the praise or blame of the foolish and unrefined; such speech is often empty noise and has little real power to benefit or harm. One should value discerning judgment over meaningless public opinion.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhishma advises the listener that the words of a fool—whether flattering or condemning—are like a crow’s purposeless cawing in a forest and should not be taken as decisive or consequential.