Shloka 56
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 28: Dharmādharmalakṣaṇa in Āpad
Crisis-Discernment of Right and Wrong
लताधर्मा धार्तराष्ट्रा: शाला: संजय पाण्डवा: । न लता वर्धते जातु महाद्रुममनाश्रिता,संजय! धृतराष्ट्रके पुत्र लताओंके समान हैं और पाण्डव शाल-वृक्षोंके समान। कोई भी लता किसी महान् वृक्षका आश्रय लिये बिना कभी नहीं बढ़ती है (अतः पाण्डवोंका आश्रय लेकर ही धृतराष्ट्रपुत्र बढ़ सकते हैं)
latādharmā dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ śālāḥ sañjaya pāṇḍavāḥ | na latā vardhate jātu mahādrumam anāśritā ||
Vāyu said: “O Sañjaya, the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra are by nature like clinging creepers, while the Pāṇḍavas are like sturdy śāla trees. A creeper never truly grows unless it takes shelter upon a great tree. In the same way, the Dhṛtarāṣṭras can prosper only by relying on the Pāṇḍavas.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that those who are dependent by nature (like creepers) flourish only when they seek rightful support from the strong and righteous (like great trees). Ethically, it urges the Dhārtarāṣṭras to abandon antagonism and instead align with the Pāṇḍavas through dharmic cooperation, recognizing where true stability and growth lie.
In Udyoga Parva, as war preparations intensify, Vāyudeva addresses Sañjaya with a pointed metaphor: the Kauravas are compared to creepers and the Pāṇḍavas to śāla trees. The statement functions as counsel and warning—implying that the Kauravas’ welfare depends on taking shelter in, or making peace with, the Pāṇḍavas rather than attempting to uproot them.