Shloka 14
Saṃsāra-Gahana Allegory: The Brāhmaṇa in the Forest and Well (संसारगहन-आख्यान)
कूपमध्ये महानागमपश्यत महाबलम् | कूपवीनाहवेलायामपश्यत महागजम्
kūpamadhye mahānāgam apaśyata mahābalam | kūpavīnāhavelāyām apaśyata mahāgajam ||
Vidura said: “In the midst of a well he saw a mighty, powerful serpent; and at the mouth of the well, at the very time of peril, he saw a great elephant.” The image evokes a crisis in which danger is present both within and at the threshold, urging discernment and timely, dharmic action rather than confusion or panic.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses stark imagery—danger inside the well and danger at its mouth—to highlight that in moments of crisis one must see realities clearly on all sides and choose a timely, dharmic course, not be blinded by fear or partial perception.
Vidura describes a scene (likely illustrative or proverbial) where someone observes a powerful serpent within a well and a great elephant at the well’s opening at a critical moment, setting up a reflection on peril, judgment, and the need for wise response.