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.