Shloka 15
Udyoga Parva Adhyāya 132 — Vidura’s Counsel on Udyama, Yaśas, and Kṣātra-Dharma
मुहूर्त ज्वलितं श्रेयो न च धूमायितं चिरम् । मा ह सम कस्यचिद् गेहे जनि राज्ञ: खरो मृदु:
muhūrtaṃ jvalitaṃ śreyo na ca dhūmāyitaṃ ciram | mā ha sama kasyacid gehe jani rājñaḥ kharo mṛduḥ ||
ព្រះវាយុមានព្រះបន្ទូលថា៖ «ល្អជាងឆេះរលោងស្រស់ស្អាត ទោះបីតែស្របពេលខ្លី ក៏ប្រសើរជាងសុលសល់យូរៗដោយមានតែផ្សែង។ ហើយសូមកុំឲ្យកើតមានឡើយថា ក្នុងគ្រួសាររបស់ស្តេចណាម្នាក់ មានបុរសកើតមកដែលរឹងរ៉ឹងហួសហេតុ ឬទន់ភ្លន់ហួសហេតុ»។
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
True excellence is like a clear flame—decisive and luminous—even if brief; prolonged, smoky smouldering suggests indecision and ineffective action. For rulers, the verse warns against extremes of temperament: excessive harshness becomes cruelty, while excessive softness becomes weakness; both harm governance and dharma.
Vāyudeva is giving pointed counsel in the Udyoga Parva context, where questions of policy, resolve, and royal conduct are urgent. He uses a fire metaphor to urge clarity and effectiveness, then applies it to kingship by cautioning that a king’s household should not produce men of extreme harshness or extreme gentleness.