Shloka 43
Udyoga Parva Adhyāya 132 — Vidura’s Counsel on Udyama, Yaśas, and Kṣātra-Dharma
यमाजीवन्ति पुरुष सर्वभूतानि संजय । पकक्वं द्रुममिवासाद्य तस्य जीवितमर्थवत्,संजय! पके फलवाले वृक्षके समान जिस पुरुषका आश्रय लेकर सब प्राणी जीविका चलाते हैं, उसीका जीवन सार्थक है
yam ājīvanti puruṣa sarvabhūtāni sañjaya | pakvaṁ drumam ivāsādya tasya jīvitam arthavat ||
Wahai Sañjaya! Laksana pohon yang telah masak dan sarat buah, hanya hidup orang itulah yang bermakna—yang menjadi sandaran semua makhluk untuk menegakkan penghidupan dan memperoleh penopang.
पुत्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person’s life is judged meaningful when it becomes a support for others—when many beings can ‘live upon’ him, as creatures rely on a ripe, fruit-bearing tree. The verse elevates generosity and sustaining service as the measure of a worthy life.
In the Udyoga Parva’s counsel-filled context before the great war, the speaker (identified as ‘the son’) addresses Sañjaya with a moral reflection: true worth lies in being a refuge and provider for others, expressed through the vivid metaphor of a mature tree that nourishes many.