Shloka 88
Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
मैं ऐसा वाक्य बोलूँगी, जो सार्थक होगा। उसमें अर्थभेद नहीं होगा। वह न्याययुक्त होगा। उसमें आवश्यकतासे अधिक, कर्णकटु एवं संदेह-टजनक पद नहीं होंगे। इस प्रकार मैं परम उत्तम वाक्य बोलूँगी ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | ahaṃ tādṛśaṃ vākyaṃ vakṣyāmi yat sārthakaṃ bhaviṣyati | tasminn artha-bhedo na bhaviṣyati | tad nyāya-yuktaṃ bhaviṣyati | tasminn āvaśyakatāyā adhikaṃ na bhaviṣyati, na ca karṇa-kaṭuṃ na ca saṃśaya-janakaṃ padam | evaṃ paramottamaṃ vākyaṃ vakṣyāmi || na guru-akṣara-saṃyukte parāṅmukha-sukhaṃ na ca | nānṛtaṃ na tri-vargeṇa viruddhaṃ nāpy asaṃskṛtam ||
毗湿摩说道：“我将说出真正有意义的话，其中不含义理歧分与含混；它将立足于公正与正理，不逾越所必需，不刺耳，不以措辞滋生疑惑。如此，我将吐露最上之言。我的陈述不以沉重粗砺的音节堆砌，而以柔和悦耳的辞句织成；然而，对背离正道之人，它并不讨喜。它不虚妄，不违背人生三义——达摩、阿尔塔与迦摩——亦不粗鄙无文、缺乏涵养。”
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches the ethics of ideal speech: it should be meaningful, unambiguous, just, necessary (not excessive), gentle in expression, not doubt-provoking, truthful, aligned with dharma-artha-kāma, and refined—yet it need not flatter those who are averse to righteousness.
In the Shanti Parva’s instructional setting, Bhishma prefaces his counsel by describing the standards he will follow in speaking—framing his forthcoming teaching as disciplined, truthful, and ethically calibrated guidance.