Shloka 17
Ālasyadoṣa-nirdeśa (On the Fault of Negligence) — The Camel’s Long-Neck Exemplum
इस तरह उस मूर्ख ऊँटकी मृत्यु हो गयी। देखो, उसके आलस्यके क्रमसे कितना महान् दोष प्राप्त हो गया ।।
evaṁ tasya mūḍhasya uṣṭrasya mṛtyur abhavat. paśyata, tasya ālasyasya krameṇa kīdṛśo mahān doṣaḥ prāptaḥ. tvam api evamvidham ālasyaṁ hitvā yogena niyatendriyaḥ, vartasva buddhimūlaṁ tu vijayaṁ manuḥ abravīt; tasmāt tvayāpi ālasyaṁ tyaktvā indriyāṇi vaśe kṛtvā buddhipūrvakaṁ vartitum ucitam. manu-vacanam: “vijayasya mūlaṁ buddhir eva.”
Demikianlah unta yang bodoh itu menemui ajalnya. Lihatlah bagaimana kemalasannya, setahap demi setahap, menumbuhkan cela besar hingga menjadi kebinasaan. Maka engkau pun hendaknya meninggalkan kelengahan semacam itu; dengan laku yoga kendalikan indria, dan bertindaklah dengan kecerdasan jernih. Sebab Manu telah menyatakan: “Akar kemenangan adalah kecerdasan.”
उड्ड उवाच
Educational Q&A
Laziness gradually leads to serious fault and downfall; therefore one should abandon indolence, restrain the senses through disciplined practice, and act with discernment—since intelligence is taught as the foundation of victory.
After recounting the death of a foolish camel caused by its own laziness, the speaker turns the example into direct counsel: the listener should avoid the same failing and live with self-control and intelligent conduct, supported by Manu’s maxim about victory arising from buddhi.