Shloka 28
Adhyāya 223: Nāradasya Guṇa-kathana
Catalogue of Nārada’s Virtues
न त्वेतदनुरूपं ते यशसो वा कुलस्य च । समृद्धार्थोडसमृद्धार्थ यन्मां कत्थितुमिच्छसि
na tv etad anurūpaṃ te yaśaso vā kulasya ca | samṛddhārtho 'samṛddhārthaṃ yan māṃ katthitum icchasi ||
یہ نہ تمہاری شہرت کے شایان ہے نہ تمہارے خاندان کے—کہ تم اس وقت خوشحال ہو کر، میرے سامنے جو خوشحالی سے محروم ہو چکا ہوں، اپنی تعریف کے ڈھول پیٹنا چاہو۔
(भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that true nobility is shown through restraint and humility: boasting—especially before someone who has fallen into misfortune—violates the standards of dharma, damages one’s reputation (yaśas), and is unworthy of a good lineage (kula).
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction-setting, Bhishma rebukes a would-be speaker for trying to praise himself or speak boastfully in Bhishma’s presence, pointing out the impropriety of flaunting one’s current prosperity before someone who has lost his own.