Mahabharata · 2.64.8–9
॥
Devanāgarī
अर्जुन उवाच
न चैवोक्ता न चानुक्ता हीनतः परुषा गिरः ॥
भारताः प्रतिजल्पन्ति सदा तूत्तमपूरुषाः ॥
स्मरन्ति सुकृतान्य् एव न वैराणि कृतानि च ॥
सन्तः प्रतिविजानन्तो लब्ध्वा प्रत्ययम् आत्मनः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
arjuna uvāca
na caivoktā na cānuktā hīnataḥ paruṣā giraḥ ||
bhāratāḥ pratijalpanti sadā tūttamapūruṣāḥ ||
smaranti sukṛtāny eva na vairāṇi kṛtāni ca ||
santaḥ prativijānanto labdhvā pratyayam ātmanaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
न च एव उक्ता न च अनुक्ता हीनतः परुषा गिरःna ca eva uktā na ca anuktā hīnataḥ paruṣā giraḥ"neither at spoken nor unspoken harsh words from a lesser [man]
भारताः प्रतिजल्पन्ति सदा तु उत्तम-पूरुषाःbhāratāḥ pratijalpanti sadā tu uttama-pūruṣāḥdo the Bharatas answer [with abuse] — the highest men are always [restrained];
स्मरन्ति सु-कृतान्य् एव न वैराणि कृतानि चsmaranti su-kṛtāny eva na vairāṇi kṛtāni cathey remember only good deeds, not the enmities done [against them] —
सन्तः प्रतिविजानन्तो लब्ध्वा प्रत्ययम् आत्मनःsantaḥ prativijānanto labdhvā pratyayam ātmanaḥthe good, who acknowledge [goodness], having found confidence in themselves."
अर्जुनarjunaoriginal form "arjuna", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चैवोक्ताcaivoktāoriginal form "caivoktā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चानुक्ताcānuktāoriginal form "cānuktā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तूत्तमपूरुषाःtūttamapūruṣāḥoriginal form "tūttamapūruṣāḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सुकृतान्य्sukṛtānyoriginal form "sukṛtāny", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
[Arjuna:] "At harsh words from a lesser man — spoken or unspoken — the Bharatas do not answer with abuse: the highest men are always restrained. They remember only good deeds, not the enmities done against them — the good, who acknowledge goodness, standing firm in themselves."
Version
ab01859a9dda · published Jul 16, 2026, 4:12:36 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Arjuna sets against Bhima's fury another kind of valor — the valor of restraint: the one lofty in spirit does not answer slander, for it is not the one slandered but the slanderer who is debased. The memory of the good is selectively kind: they keep the good and release the grievances — and in this there is no weakness but the strength of a soul grounded in itself and independent of others' insults. It is significant that the brothers complement one another: where Bhima is fire, Arjuna is the rein; and both are needed by dharma. The verse teaches that greatness is known by a man's refusal to stoop to answer baseness; that freedom from resentment is the fruit of inner firmness, not indifference; and that the courage to endure until the right moment surpasses the courage to strike out of season.