Shloka 80
Prohibitions and Rules of Right Conduct (Ācāra): Theft, Speech, Purity, Residence, and Social Boundaries
सुहृन्मरणमात्रं वा स्वयं न श्रावयेत्परान् । अपण्यं कूटपण्यं वा विक्रयेन प्रयोजयेत्
suhṛnmaraṇamātraṃ vā svayaṃ na śrāvayetparān | apaṇyaṃ kūṭapaṇyaṃ vā vikrayena prayojayet
آدمی خود دوسروں کو دوست کی موت کی محض خبر بھی نہ سنائے۔ اور جو چیز بیچنے کے لائق نہیں، یا دھوکے کی ملاوٹ والی جنس ہو، اسے بیچ کر تجارت نہ کرے۔
Unspecified (narrative injunction within the Svarga-khaṇḍa discourse; likely within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue framework, but not identifiable from the single verse alone).
Concept: Do not spread distressing news needlessly; avoid unethical commerce and fraud—dharma includes compassionate speech and honest livelihood.
Application: Share sensitive information with care and consent; practice truthful business—no counterfeit, no prohibited goods, no deceptive pricing.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: city
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A bustling ancient marketplace is shown with a calm Vaishnava merchant weighing goods honestly on a balance, while shadowy figures attempt to pass counterfeit wares. In a quieter corner, a messenger restrains his tongue, choosing not to broadcast tragic news, conveying compassion through silence and measured gesture.","primary_figures":["Honest merchant devotee","Customer family","Deceptive traders (contrast figures)","Messenger (restrained speech motif)"],"setting":"Old Indian bazaar with cloth awnings, grain sacks, balance scales, temple spire visible in the distance","lighting_mood":"forest dappled","color_palette":["indigo","turmeric yellow","copper brown","ivory","maroon"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: richly ornamented bazaar scene with a central honest merchant before a distant Vishnu temple; gold leaf accents on scales and temple finial, saturated reds/greens, detailed jewelry and textiles; contrasting vignette of counterfeit goods rendered in darker tones, moral clarity through composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: narrative marketplace with delicate brushwork—merchant’s serene face, precise scales, subtle moral contrast; cool palette with warm highlights, refined architecture, lyrical crowd movement, distant shrine anchoring dharma.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and symbolic color blocks—merchant in bright sattvic hues, fraudulent traders in muted/darker pigments; stylized scales and goods, temple silhouette, expressive eyes emphasizing ethical resolve.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central motif of dharmic trade as offering to Vishnu—lotus borders, ornate patterns; a small Krishna/Vishnu shrine panel above the market; deep blues and gold, intricate floral frames, moral narrative in side panels."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["market ambience (soft)","temple bells (distant)","footsteps","brief silence on the line about death-news"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: suhṛnmaraṇamātraṃ = suhṛt-maraṇa-mātram; śrāvayetparān = śrāvayet + parān
FAQs
It cautions against speech that can unnecessarily spread distress, panic, or social disruption; restraint in communication is presented as part of dharma.
Apaṇya refers to items that are improper or forbidden to sell, while kūṭapaṇya refers to counterfeit or deceitful merchandise; both are condemned as unrighteous commerce.
Dharma requires both careful speech and honest livelihood: do not cause harm through indiscriminate reporting, and do not profit through prohibited or fraudulent trade.