न तथा तप्यते विद्ध: पुमान् बाणैस्तु मर्मगै: । यथा तुदन्ति मर्मस्था ह्यसतां परुषेषव: ॥ ३ ॥
na tathā tapyate viddhaḥ pumān bāṇais tu marma-gaiḥ yathā tudanti marma-sthā hy asatāṁ paruṣeṣavaḥ
- 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
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.