Shloka 96
Saṃsāra-Gahana Allegory: The Brāhmaṇa in the Forest and Well (संसारगहन-आख्यान)
नभ:स्प॒शैर्महावक्षै: परिक्षिप्तं महावनम् । पर्वतोंके समान ऊँचे और पाँच सिरवाले नागों तथा बड़े-बड़े गगनचुम्बी वृक्षोंसे वह विशाल वन व्याप्त हो रहा है
nabhaḥspṛśair mahāvakṣaiḥ parikṣiptaṃ mahāvanam | parvatāṅke samānoccaiḥ pañcaśīrṣair nāgaiś ca bṛhadbhiḥ gaganacumbibhiḥ vṛkṣaiś ca tad viśālaṃ vanaṃ vyāptaṃ bhavati |
Vidura décrit une vaste forêt, enclose et remplie d’arbres gigantesques aux troncs larges, si hauts qu’ils semblent toucher le ciel. Le bois se dresse comme des pentes de montagne, et l’on y trouve de grands serpents aux cinq capuchons.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse primarily teaches through imagery: the post-war world is not merely human grief but a landscape of overwhelming forces—grandeur mixed with danger. It invites ethical reflection on how violence leaves one moving through a world that feels vast, heavy, and perilous, requiring steadiness and discernment.
Vidura is describing a huge forest scene—towering trees that seem to touch the sky and great five-hooded serpents—emphasizing the intimidating, expansive terrain encountered in the aftermath setting of Strī Parva.