Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.23.3
न तथा तप्यते विद्ध: पुमान् बाणैस्तु मर्मगै: ।
यथा तुदन्ति मर्मस्था ह्यसतां परुषेषव: ॥ ३ ॥
na tathā tapyate viddhaḥ
[na tathaa tapyate viddhah]
pumān bāṇais tu marma-gaiḥ
[pumaan baanais tu marma-gaih]
yathā tudanti marma-sthā
[yathaa tudanti marma-sthaa]
hy asatāṁ paruṣeṣavaḥ
[hy asataam parusheshavah]
Word-for-word
na
—
not
tathā
—
in the same way
tapyate
—
is caused pain
viddhaḥ
—
pierced
pumān
—
a person
bāṇaiḥ
—
by arrows
tu
—
however
marma-gaiḥ
—
going to the heart
yathā
—
as
tudanti
—
prick
marma-sthāḥ
—
attaching within the heart
hi
—
indeed
asatām
—
of evil persons
paruṣa
—
harsh (words)
iṣavaḥ
—
the arrows.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
na tathā tapyate viddhaḥ
na
not
tathā
in the same way
tapyate
is caused pain
viddhaḥ
pierced
pumān bāṇais tu marma-gaiḥ
pumān
a person
bāṇaiḥ
by arrows
tu
however
marma-gaiḥ
going to the heart
yathā tudanti marma-sthā
yathā
as
tudanti
prick
marma-sthāḥ
attaching within the heart
hi
indeed
asatām
of evil persons
hy asatāṁ paruṣeṣavaḥ
paruṣa
harsh (words)
iṣavaḥ
the arrows.
Sharp arrows which pierce one’s chest and reach the heart do not cause as much suffering as the arrows of harsh, insulting words that become lodged within the heart when spoken by uncivilized men.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Sharp arrows which pierce one’s chest and reach the heart do not cause as much suffering as the arrows of harsh, insulting words spoken by materialists that become lodged within the heart.
Paruṣeṣavaḥ means “arrows of harsh words.”
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Sharp arrows in the chest do not hurt as much as the arrows of harsh insulting words lodged in the heart. Words can do worse damage than weapons.
Reflection Questions
- Which words spoken to me still sit lodged in my heart?
- What might pulling them out involve?
My note
Source: vedabase.io