Shloka 59
Ārjava, Satya, and the Virocana–Sudhanvan Exemplum
Udyoga-parva 35
तन्तव:ः प्यायिता नित्यं तनवो बहुला: समा: । बहून् बहुत्वादायासान् सहन्तीत्युपमा सताम्
tantavaḥ pyāyitā nityaṃ tanavo bahulāḥ samāḥ | bahūn bahutvād āyāsān sahantīty upamā satām ||
Vidura berkata: “Benang-benang, meski halus, bila terus dipelihara dan dihimpun dalam jumlah besar, sanggup menahan banyak tarikan karena banyaknya mereka. Demikianlah perumpamaan bagi orang berbudi: walau masing-masing lemah, dengan persatuan, dukungan yang mantap, dan kekuatan bersama, mereka mampu memikul tekanan yang besar.”
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Individual weakness can be overcome through unity and continual strengthening; the virtuous endure hardships by collective support and steadfastness.
In Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers moral-political counsel; here he uses a simile of slender threads becoming strong when many and well-nourished to advise resilience and the power of united righteous conduct amid mounting conflict.