Shloka 13

Adhyāya 115: On Restraint Under Verbal Provocation in the Assembly (सभायां आक्रोश-सहिष्णुता)

Devanagari script

तादृग्जनशतस्यापि यद्‌ ददाति जुहोति च । परोक्षेणापवादी यस्तं नाशयति तत्क्षणात्‌

Transliteration

tādṛg-jana-śatasyāpi yad dadāti juhoti ca | parokṣeṇāpavādī yas taṁ nāśayati tat-kṣaṇāt ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“纵使一人布施与祭献之盛，足当百人之功；若暗中毁谤他人，亦会在刹那间毁尽一切功德。”

Word by Word

• तादृक्: of such (a kind)
• तादृक्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तादृश्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• जन: people
• जन: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• शतस्य: of a hundred
• शतस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: शत
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ददाति: gives
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• जुहोति: offers (into fire), performs oblation
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• परोक्षेण: indirectly / behind (one's) back
• परोक्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: परोक्ष
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अपवादी: a slanderer
• अपवादी: Karta
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: अपवादिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तम्: that (him/it)
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नाशयति: destroys
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada, Causative

• तत्क्षणात्: immediately / at that very moment
• Type: Indeclinable (adverbial ablative)
• Root: तत्क्षण

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That ethical speech is integral to dharma: slander spoken behind someone’s back can instantly nullify the spiritual merit gained from major acts like charity (dāna) and fire-offerings (homa).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma is teaching moral discipline to the listener (Yudhiṣṭhira in the broader context), emphasizing that inner and verbal conduct must match outward religious acts.