Shloka 44
सदाचार-नियमाः: शील, संयम, संग-निषेध, शुचिता, वाणी-नीति, परोपकारः
प्रियम् उक्तं हितं नैतद् इति मत्वा न तद् वदेत् श्रेयस् तत्र हितं वाक्यं यद्य् अप्य् अत्यन्तम् अप्रियम्
priyam uktaṃ hitaṃ naitad iti matvā na tad vadet śreyas tatra hitaṃ vākyaṃ yady apy atyantam apriyam
当知“此言虽悦耳却无益”，便不应出口；于彼处，最善者是说有益之语，纵使听来极其刺耳。
Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya, within a dharma-teaching context)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Discerning priyavākya vs hitavākya: rejecting pleasing but harmful speech; accepting beneficial even if unpleasant
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: authoritative
Concept: Do not speak what is merely pleasing if it is not truly beneficial; when needed, speak beneficial counsel even if it is unpleasant.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Choose ‘hard truths’ only when they serve growth and protection; avoid flattery and enabling speech, and deliver correction with humility.
Vishishtadvaita: ‘Śreyas’ (true good) is prioritized over ‘preyas’ (mere pleasantness), aligning the jīva’s speech with the Lord’s sustaining dharma for all beings.
Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
This verse prioritizes words that uphold welfare and dharma over speech that merely pleases, presenting ethical communication as a support for universal order.
He implies a clear hierarchy: pleasant speech that lacks benefit should be avoided, while beneficial counsel should be spoken even when it is difficult to hear.
Though Vishnu is not named here, the ethic serves Vaishnava dharma: speech aligned with truth and welfare supports the divine order ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s sovereignty.