Mahabharata — Svargarohana Parva, Shloka 21
अविलम्बमनायस्तमद्रुतं धीरमूर्जितम् । असंसक्ताक्षरपदं स्वरभावसमन्वितम्
avilambam anāyastam adrutaṃ dhīram ūrjitam | asaṃsaktākṣarapadaṃ svarabhāvasamanvitam ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśaṃpāyana: “Ang pagbigkas ay hindi dapat laging napuputol at napapabagal, at hindi rin dapat minamadali. Dapat itong umusad nang panatag ngunit may sigla, malinaw ang pagbigkas ng mga pantig at salita at hindi nagsasalikop, at ang tinig ay kaayon ng damdamin. Sa ganitong paraan, naipapaliwanag ng tagapagsalaysay ang diwa nang may tamis, at nagiging malinaw at mabisa ang salaysay.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches disciplined, ethical speech in sacred narration: avoid dragging or rushing, speak without strain, articulate syllables and words distinctly, and align tone with intended emotion so the listener understands the meaning clearly.
Vaiśampāyana gives a normative instruction about how a kathā-vācaka (narrator/reciter) should deliver the Mahābhārata—setting standards for pace, clarity of pronunciation, and expressive tone as part of proper transmission of the tradition.