Shloka 31

आचारप्रशंसा

Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity

Devanagari script

नारुन्तुदः स्यान्न नृशंसवादी न हीनत: परमभ्याददीत । ययास्य वाचा पर उद्विजेत नतां वदेद्‌ रुशतीं पापलोक्याम्‌

Transliteration

nāruṃtudaḥ syān na nṛśaṃsavādī na hīnataḥ param abhyādadīta | yayāsya vācā para udvijeta na tāṃ vaded ruśatīṃ pāpalokyām ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: Chớ làm kẻ khoét thương người khác, chớ thốt lời tàn nhẫn. Đừng tìm cách vượt hơn người bằng cách hạ nhục họ. Lời nói khiến kẻ khác bất an, xao động là lời thô bạo, dẫn người nói về cõi của kẻ tội lỗi; vì vậy tuyệt đối chớ nói những lời như thế.

Word by Word

• {'nāruṃtudaḥ': 'one who does not strike at another’s vital spot

• not a tormentor (lit. ‘not a wounder’)', 'syāt': 'should be', 'na': 'not', 'nṛśaṃsavādī': 'speaker of cruelty

• one who speaks harsh/inhumane words', 'hīnataḥ': 'from a sense of inferiority

• by demeaning', 'param': 'another person

• the other', 'abhyādadīta': 'should overtake/surpass

• should try to gain advantage over', 'yayā': 'by which (speech)', 'asya': 'his', 'vācā': 'by speech

• with words', 'paraḥ': 'another person', 'udvijeta': 'would be agitated, distressed, alarmed', 'tām': 'that (speech)', 'vaded': 'should speak', 'ruśatīm': 'harsh, biting, hurtful', 'pāpalokyām': 'leading to the world/lot of sinners

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Control of speech is a key aspect of dharma: do not wound others with words, do not speak cruelty, and do not elevate yourself by humiliating others. Speech that causes agitation is morally dangerous and leads to sinful consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous conduct. Here he gives a concise rule about ethical speech—avoiding hurtful, demeaning, and disturbing words.