Mahabharata — Svargarohana Parva, Shloka 21
अविलम्बमनायस्तमद्रुतं धीरमूर्जितम् । असंसक्ताक्षरपदं स्वरभावसमन्वितम्
avilambam anāyastam adrutaṃ dhīram ūrjitam | asaṃsaktākṣarapadaṃ svarabhāvasamanvitam ||
毗舍婆耶那说道：“诵读不应拖沓费力，也不应急促奔走；当以沉稳而有力的节奏进行，音节与词句须清晰分明，不可黏连含混，并使声调与情致相契。如此，讲述者便能以柔和之声传达义理，使叙事明白而有感化之效。”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches disciplined, ethical speech in sacred narration: avoid dragging or rushing, speak without strain, articulate syllables and words distinctly, and align tone with intended emotion so the listener understands the meaning clearly.
Vaiśampāyana gives a normative instruction about how a kathā-vācaka (narrator/reciter) should deliver the Mahābhārata—setting standards for pace, clarity of pronunciation, and expressive tone as part of proper transmission of the tradition.