Shloka 13

शोक-शमन उपदेशः

Instruction on the Pacification of Grief

Devanagari script

छिन्न॑ वाप्यवरोप्यन्तमवतीर्णमथापि वा । आदी वाप्यथवा शुष्क॑ पच्यमानमथापि वा

Transliteration

chinnaṃ vāpy avaropyantam avatīrṇam athāpi vā | ādī vāpy athavā śuṣkaṃ pacyamānam athāpi vā

Translation

Whether one is being cut down, or being dragged away, or has fallen down; whether one is burning, or else dried up and being scorched—(in such extremity) the wise do not abandon the path of right conduct. Vidura’s words evoke the helplessness of victims in war and calamity, urging steadfastness in dharma and compassionate restraint even when life is reduced to sheer suffering.

Word by Word

छिन्नम्cut off, severed

वाor

अपिalso, even

अवरोप्यम्to be uprooted/removed, being uprooted

अन्तम्end, limit

अवतीर्णम्descended, fallen down

अथthen, and

अपिalso, even

वाor

आदीbeginning etc.; (here) beginnings (dual form as read)

वाor

अपिalso, even

अथवाor else

शुष्कम्dry, withered

पच्यमानम्being cooked/burnt, roasting

अथthen, and

अपिalso, even

वाor

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid extreme bodily danger and suffering—being cut down, dragged, fallen, burning, or scorched—one should not forsake dharma; the verse underscores ethical steadiness and humane restraint in times of violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Stree Parva’s aftermath of the war, Vidura speaks in a moral register, describing dire conditions that befall people in catastrophe and war, to emphasize the gravity of suffering and the need for righteous conduct and compassion.