Shloka 9
अव्यक्तकालमान-निर्णयः
Measures of Time from the Unmanifest; Creation, Elements, and the Primacy of Mind
Devanagari script
वाक्सायका वदनान्निष्पतन्ति यैराहत: शोचति रात्र्यहानि । परस्य नामर्मसु ते पतन्ति तान् पण्डितो नावसूजेत् परेषु
Transliteration
vāksāyakā vadanān niṣpatanti yair āhataḥ śocati rātryahāni | parasya nāmarmasu te patanti tān paṇḍito nāvasūjet pareṣu ||
Translation
天鹅说道：“言语是从口中射出的箭。被其所伤者，昼夜沉于哀愁。因为它们正中他人的要害与软处，所以智者不应向他人掷出这般‘言箭’。”
Word by Word
वाक्speech, word
वाक्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवाच्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
सायकाarrows
सायका:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसायका
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
वदनात्from the mouth
वदनात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootवदन
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
निष्पतन्तिfly out, shoot forth
निष्पतन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootनिष्+पत्
FormPresent, Indicative, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
यैःby which
यैः:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural
आहतःstruck, wounded
आहतः:
TypeAdjective
Rootआ+हन् (क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
शोचतिgrieves
शोचति:
TypeVerb
Rootशुच्
FormPresent, Indicative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
रात्रि-अहानिnights and days
रात्रि-अहानि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरात्रि + अहन्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
परस्यof another
परस्य:
Sambandha
TypeAdjective
Rootपर
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
नामindeed; (lit.) name
नाम:
TypeNoun
Rootनामन्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
मर्मसुin the vital spots, sensitive points
मर्मसु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमर्मन्
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
तेthey
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
पतन्तिfall, strike
पतन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootपत्
FormPresent, Indicative, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
तान्those (words/arrows)
तान्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
पण्डितःa wise man
पण्डितः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपण्डित
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
अवसूजेत्should not discharge/let loose
अवसूजेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootअव+सृज्
FormAorist, Optative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
परेषुtowards/among others
परेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootपर
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
Speaker
हंस उवाच
Characters & Entities
H
haṃsa (the Swan, speaker)V
vāk-sāyaka (verbal arrows)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Speech can wound like an arrow and cause lasting sorrow; therefore, a wise person restrains harsh or piercing words, especially those that strike another’s vulnerabilities.
In a didactic passage of the Śānti Parva, the speaker ‘Haṃsa’ delivers moral instruction, using the metaphor of ‘word-arrows’ to warn against verbally harming others.