Shloka 22

अग्राह्य-ज्ञातिसंबन्धमण्डल-विवेचनम् / Managing Unreadable Kinship Networks: Vāsudeva–Nārada on Cohesion

Devanagari script

ज्ञातीनां वक्तुकामानां कटुकानि लघूनि च । गिरा त्वं हृदयं वाचं शमयस्व मनांसि च

Transliteration

jñātīnāṁ vaktukāmānāṁ kaṭukāni laghūni ca | girā tvaṁ hṛdayaṁ vācaṁ śamayāsva manāṁsi ca

Translation

那罗陀说道：“当亲族急于开口时，他们的话语或会变得苦毒，或会轻慢伤人。因此，你当以言辞抚慰其心，使其意念平静。”

Word by Word

• ज्ञातीनाम्: of kinsmen/relatives
• ज्ञातीनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञाति
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वक्तुकामानाम्: of those wishing to speak
• वक्तुकामानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वक्तुकाम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• कटुकानि: harsh (words)
• कटुकानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कटुक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• लघूनि: light/trifling (words)
• लघूनि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लघु
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

• गिरा: by speech/with words
• गिरा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• हृदयम्: heart
• हृदयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वाचम्: speech/words
• वाचम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• शमयस्व: calm/appease (yourself); pacify
• Type: Verb
• Root: शम्
• Form: Lot (Imperative), Atmanepada, Second, Singular

• मनांसि: minds
• मनांसि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• kinsmen/relatives (jñāti)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Use restrained, calming speech to prevent harsh or disparaging talk among relatives from escalating; ethical communication is a means of restoring mental peace and social harmony.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada instructs the listener that when family members are stirred up and ready to speak, their words can become cutting or contemptuous; the advised response is to pacify hearts and settle minds through conciliatory speech.