Shloka 23
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 34 — Vidura’s Counsel on Deliberation, Speech-Discipline, and Dharmic Kingship
प्रह्माद उवाच इमौ तौ सम्प्रदृश्येते याभ्यां न चरितं सह । आशीविषाविव क्रुद्धावेकमार्गाविहागतौ
Prahrāda uvāca: imau tau sampradṛśyete yābhyāṃ na caritaṃ saha | āśīviṣāv iva kruddhāv eka-mārgāv iha āgatau ||
Prahlāda berkata (dalam hati): “Kedua orang itu kini tampak mendekat—mereka yang tak pernah berjalan bersama. Laksana ular berbisa yang murka, mereka datang kemari melalui jalan yang sama.”
प्रह्माद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger and hostility can force even unlikely parties onto the same course, warning that shared direction does not imply shared virtue; one should read such convergence as a sign of impending conflict and exercise discernment and restraint.
Prahrāda observes Sudhanvā and Virocana approaching together—something unusual since they have not previously acted in unison—and compares their approach to two enraged venomous snakes coming by the same road, suggesting imminent confrontation.