Brihaspati Teaches Indra the Power of Gentle Speech

Verse 1 (12.84.1)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । बृहस्पतेश्च संवादं शक्रस्य च युधिष्ठिर ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | bṛhaspateśca saṃvādaṃ śakrasya ca yudhiṣṭhira

On this subject they recall an ancient tale: the conversation between Brihaspati and Shakra, O Yudhishthira.

Verse 2 (12.84.2)

किंस्विदेकपदं ब्रह्मन्पुरुषः सम्यगाचरन् । प्रमाणं सर्वभूतानां यशश्चैवाप्नुयान्महत् ॥

kiṃsvidekapadaṃ brahmanpuruṣaḥ samyagācaran | pramāṇaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ yaśaścaivāpnuyānmahat

What is the one single practice, O brahmin, by which a man who follows it rightly becomes a standard for all beings and wins great fame?

Note on the text: Corrected एकपढं → एकपदं (misprint in Wikisource; ढ for द; CE 12.85.2a has ekapadam).

Verse 3 (12.84.3)

सान्त्वमेकपदं शक्र पुरुषः सम्यगाचरन् । प्रमाणं सर्वभूतानां यशश्चैवाप्नुयान्महत् ॥

sāntvamekapadaṃ śakra puruṣaḥ samyagācaran | pramāṇaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ yaśaścaivāpnuyānmahat

Gentle, kindly speech is that one practice, Shakra; a man who follows it rightly becomes a standard for all beings and wins great fame.

Verse 4 (12.84.4)

एतदेकपदं शक्र सर्वलोकसुखावहम् । आचरन्सर्वभूतेषु प्रियो भवति सर्वदा ॥

etadekapadaṃ śakra sarvalokasukhāvaham | ācaransarvabhūteṣu priyo bhavati sarvadā

This one practice, Shakra, brings happiness to the whole world; one who follows it toward all beings is dear to them always.

Verse 5 (12.84.5)

यो हि नाभाषते किंचित्सर्वदा भुकुटीमुखः । द्वेष्यो भवति भूतानां स सान्त्वमिह नाचरन् ॥

yo hi nābhāṣate kiṃcitsarvadā bhukuṭīmukhaḥ | dveṣyo bhavati bhūtānāṃ sa sāntvamiha nācaran

He who never says a word and wears a frown at all times becomes hateful to creatures, because he does not practise gentleness here.

Verse 6 (12.84.6)

यस्तु सर्वमभिप्रेक्ष्य पूर्वमेवाभिभाषते । स्मितपूर्वाभिभाषी च तस्य लोकः प्रसीदति ॥

yastu sarvamabhiprekṣya pūrvamevābhibhāṣate | smitapūrvābhibhāṣī ca tasya lokaḥ prasīdati

But he who looks over everyone and speaks first, and speaks with a smile before his words, finds the world pleased with him.

Verse 7 (12.84.7)

दानमेव हि सर्वत्र सान्त्वेनानभिजल्पितम् । न प्रीणयति भूतानि निर्व्यञ्जनमिवाशनम् ॥

dānameva hi sarvatra sāntvenānabhijalpitam | na prīṇayati bhūtāni nirvyañjanamivāśanam

Giving of every kind, if it is not accompanied by kind words, does not please creatures, like food without seasoning.

Verse 8 (12.84.8)

आददन्नपि भूतानां मधुरामीरयन्गिरम् । सर्वलोकमिमं शक्र सान्त्वेव कुरुते वशे ॥

ādadannapi bhūtānāṃ madhurāmīrayangiram | sarvalokamimaṃ śakra sāntveva kurute vaśe

Even while taking from creatures, one who speaks sweet words, Shakra, brings this whole world under his sway by gentleness alone.

Verse 9 (12.84.9)

तस्मात्सान्त्वं प्रयोक्तव्यं दण्डमाधित्सताऽपि हि । प्रीतिं च जनयत्येवं न चास्योद्विजते जनः ॥

tasmātsāntvaṃ prayoktavyaṃ daṇḍamādhitsatā'pi hi | prītiṃ ca janayatyevaṃ na cāsyodvijate janaḥ

Therefore gentleness should be used even by one who means to inflict punishment; in this way it creates affection, and people are not alarmed by him.

Verse 10 (12.84.10)

सुकृतस्य हि सान्त्वस्य श्लक्ष्णस्य मधुरस्य च । सम्यगासेव्यमानस्य तुल्यं जातु न विद्यते ॥

sukṛtasya hi sāntvasya ślakṣṇasya madhurasya ca | samyagāsevyamānasya tulyaṃ jātu na vidyate

Nothing is ever equal to gentle speech well practised, when it is kind, smooth and sweet and is rightly followed.

Verse 11 (12.84.11)

इत्युक्तः कृतवान्सर्वं यथा शक्रः पुरोधसा । तथा त्वमपि कौन्तेय सम्यगेतत्समाचर ॥

ityuktaḥ kṛtavānsarvaṃ yathā śakraḥ purodhasā | tathā tvamapi kaunteya samyagetatsamācara

Told this, Shakra did everything as his priest advised. So you too, son of Kunti, should follow this rightly.