Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 34
आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
Devanagari script
कर्णिनालीकनाराचान् निर्हरन्ति शरीरत: । वाक्शल्यस्तु न निर्हर्तु शक्यो हृदिशयो हि सः
Transliteration
karṇinālīkanārācān nirharanti śarīrataḥ | vākśalyas tu na nirhartuṃ śakyo hṛdiśayo hi saḥ ||
Translation
毗湿摩说：“带倒刺的箭——迦尔宁、那利迦、那罗遮——若嵌入身体，医者尚能拔出；唯有恶语之箭不可拔除，因为它深深扎在心中。”
Word by Word
कर्णि-नालीक-नाराचान्barbed arrows, reed-arrows, and iron arrows
कर्णि-नालीक-नाराचान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकर्णि + नालीक + नाराच
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
निर्हरन्तिthey extract/remove
निर्हरन्ति:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootनिर्हृ (निर् + √हृ)
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
शरीरतःfrom the body
शरीरतः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootशरीर
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
वाक्-शल्यःthe thorn/arrow of speech (verbal wound)
वाक्-शल्यः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवाक् + शल्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut/however
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
निर्हर्तुम्to extract/remove
निर्हर्तुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootनिर्हृ (निर् + √हृ)
FormInfinitive (Tumun)
शक्यःpossible/able
शक्यः:
TypeAdjective
Rootशक्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हृदि-शयःlying in the heart
हृदि-शयः:
TypeAdjective
Rootहृद् + शय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
सःit/he (that)
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaK
karṇin (arrow)N
nālīka (arrow)N
nārāca (arrow)P
physicians (implied)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Physical injuries may be treated and removed, but the pain caused by cruel or cutting words is harder to heal because it remains lodged in the heart; therefore one should practice restraint and compassion in speech.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma and conduct, he uses a battlefield image—different kinds of arrows being extracted from the body—to contrast bodily wounds with the deeper, lasting wound inflicted by speech.