Shloka 13

Kāpavya-carita (कापव्यचरित) — Reforming Dasyus through Regulated Rāja-Dharma

Devanagari script

असतां शीलमेतद्‌ वै परिवादो5थ पैशुनम्‌ । गुणानामेव वक्तार: सन्त: सत्सु नराधिप

Transliteration

asatāṃ śīlam etad vai parivādo ’tha paiśunam | guṇānām eva vaktāraḥ santaḥ satsu narādhipa naraśvara ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“大王，人中之主啊，诽谤与背后中伤，确是恶人之性。善者则不然；当善人处于善人之间，只称道他人的德行。”

Word by Word

• असताम्: of the wicked (non-good people)
• असताम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: असत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• शीलम्: nature/character
• शीलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शील
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• परिवादः: slander/censure
• परिवादः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिवाद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: and/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• पैशुनम्: backbiting/tale-bearing
• पैशुनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पैशुन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• गुणानाम्: of virtues/good qualities
• गुणानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• एव: only/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• वक्तारः: speakers/proclaimers
• वक्तारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सन्तः: good/virtuous people
• सन्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सत्सु: among/near the good (people)
• सत्सु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• नराधिप: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• narādhipa (the king addressed, i.e., Yudhishthira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Slander and backbiting are marks of a corrupt character, whereas the virtuous cultivate speech that highlights others’ good qualities—especially in the presence of the good.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhishma advises King Yudhishthira on ethical behavior, here focusing specifically on the moral discipline of speech and the influence of good company.