Shloka 37

Devanagari script

वैशग्पायन उवाच ततस्तामशिवां श्र॒ुत्वा वाचं स परुषाक्षराम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca | tatastām aśivāṃ śrutvā vācaṃ sa paruṣākṣarām |

Translation

Sinabi ni Vaiśaṃpāyana: Nang marinig niya ang mga salitang iyon na masamang pangitain—magaspang at marahas hanggang sa bawat pantig—siya’y tumugon matapos ang gayong nakapanghihilakbot na pahayag. Ipinahihiwatig ng talatang ito na ang pananalita, kapag malupit at may masamang tanda, ay maaaring maging mismong sandali ng pagliko ng aral at ng salaysay, na nagbubunsod ng takot, poot, o isang pasyang magpapabago ng landas.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

ततःthen; thereafter

ताम्that (her/it)

अशिवाम्inauspicious; evil

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

वाचम्speech; words

सःhe

परुषाक्षराम्harsh-lettered; consisting of harsh syllables

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

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?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of speech: words that are harsh and inauspicious are not morally neutral—they can wound, inflame conflict, and set harmful consequences in motion. It implicitly commends restraint and auspicious, truthful, measured speech as aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator Vaiśaṃpāyana reports a turning point: someone (referred to as 'he') hears an ominous, harshly worded utterance. The line prepares the listener for the reaction and the ensuing development triggered by that speech.