Shloka 19
Bhīṣma–Śiśupāla-saṃvādaḥ
Bhishma and Shishupala’s exchange in the assembly
नूनं प्रकृतिरेषा ते जघन्या नात्र संशय: । अति पापीयसी चैषा पाण्डवानामपीष्यते
nūnaṁ prakṛtir eṣā te jaghanyā nātra saṁśayaḥ | ati pāpīyasī caiṣā pāṇḍavānām apīṣyate ||
Śiśupāla nói: “Hẳn đây là bản tính của ngươi—hèn mạt và ô uế; không còn nghi ngờ gì. Và nay cái khuynh hướng tội lỗi ấy lại còn được tán đồng, thậm chí ngay cả nơi các Pāṇḍava.”
शिशुपाल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how moral judgment can be weaponized in political speech: Śiśupāla condemns an opponent’s character as inherently “base” and claims that such wrongdoing is being socially validated. It implicitly raises the ethical issue that public approval can normalize adharma, even among those reputed to be righteous.
In the royal assembly context of the Sabha Parva, Śiśupāla delivers a harsh denunciation. He attacks the addressee’s character and extends the accusation to the Pāṇḍavas, alleging that their conduct is becoming similarly sinful because they are accepting or endorsing what he considers wrongdoing.