Shloka 16
याज्ञसेनी-प्रश्नः
Draupadī’s Question in the Assembly
वृक्षानज्रारकारीव मैनान् धाक्षी: समूलकान् | मा गम: ससुतामात्य: सबलश्न यमक्षयम्
vṛkṣān aṅgārakārīva mainān dhākṣīḥ samūlakān | mā gamaḥ sasutāmātyaḥ sabalaś ca yamākṣayam ||
វិទុរាបាននិយាយថា៖ «ដូចអ្នកដុតឈើធ្វើធ្យូងដែលដុតដើមឈើឲ្យក្លាយជាផេះ កុំប៉ុនប៉ងដុតបំផ្លាញបុរសទាំងនេះឲ្យដល់ឫសគល់។ ចូរប្រុងប្រយ័ត្ន កុំឲ្យដោយការប្រឆាំងនឹងពណ្ឌវៈ អ្នកឯង—ជាមួយកូនៗ រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី និងទ័ព—ត្រូវបានបណ្តេញទៅកាន់ទីលំនៅយមរាជ ទៅរកវិនាស។»
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vidura warns against total, vindictive destruction: trying to annihilate the Pāṇḍavas will rebound disastrously. Ethical restraint and political prudence are urged, emphasizing that unjust hostility invites ruin for one’s own family, advisers, and forces.
In the Sabha Parva context of rising hostility toward the Pāṇḍavas, Vidura counsels the Kuru leadership not to pursue a policy of extermination. He uses the image of a charcoal-maker burning trees to the roots to caution that such aggression could lead the aggressor and his entire establishment toward death and downfall.