Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 52
Devanagari script
न जातु त्वमिति ब्रूयादापन्नो5पि महत्तरम् | त्वंकारो वा वधो वेति विद्वत्सु न विशिष्यते
Transliteration
na jātu tvam iti brūyād āpanno 'pi mahattaram | tvaṃkāro vā vadho veti vidvatsu na viśiṣyate, yudhiṣṭhira |
Translation
毗湿摩说：“尤提施提罗啊，即便身陷至大灾厄，也切莫以熟称‘汝/你’（tvam）去呼唤尊长。智者看来，此等无礼之‘tvam’与加害无异——辱没贤德，其罪甚重。”
Word by Word
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
जातुever, at any time
जातु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootजातु
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Form—, Nominative, Singular
इतिthus (quotative)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
ब्रूयात्should say
ब्रूयात्:
TypeVerb
Rootब्रू (ब्रवीति)
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
आपन्नःhaving fallen into, being in (distress)
आपन्नः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootआपन्न (√आपद्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अपिeven, even if
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
महत्तरम्a superior/elder (person)
महत्तरम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत्तर (महान्)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
त्वंकारःthe use of 'tvam' (addressing as 'you')
त्वंकारः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootत्वंकार
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
वधःkilling, slaying
वधः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवध
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
इतिthus (as a notion/quotation)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
विद्वत्सुamong the learned
विद्वत्सु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootविद्वस्
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
विशिष्यतेis distinguished; differs
विशिष्यते:
TypeVerb
Root√शिष् (वि+√शिष्)
FormPresent (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada
युधिष्ठिरO Yudhiṣṭhira
युधिष्ठिर:
TypeNoun
Rootयुधिष्ठिर
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaY
YudhiṣṭhiraCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
One must maintain respectful forms of address toward elders and superiors; insulting speech—especially the undue familiar ‘tvam’—is treated by the wise as a grave offense, comparable in moral weight to physical harm.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues advising King Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and proper conduct, here emphasizing verbal discipline and the ethical seriousness of disrespectful address toward the worthy.