Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, 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

毗湿摩说：不可做刺伤他人之人，不可出口残酷之言。也不可通过贬低他人来求胜于人。凡使他人心神不安、受扰动的言语，皆为粗厉之语，能引人趋向罪恶之境；故此等言辞，切莫出口。

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.