Shloka 16
The Thirteen Inner Adversaries (Trayodaśa Doṣāḥ): Origins and Pacification
मारुतो बलवान नित्यं यथा वै नारदो<ब्रवीत्,'जैसा कि नारदजीने कहा था, वायुदेव नित्य बलवान हैं। मैं तो दूसरे वृक्षोंसे भी दुर्बल हूँ, इसमें संशय नहीं है; परंतु बुद्धिमें कोई भी वृक्ष मेरे समान नहीं है
māruto balavān nityaṃ yathā vai nārado 'bravīt | ahaṃ tu dvitīyebhyo vṛkṣebhyo 'pi durbalaḥ, atra saṃśayo na vidyate | buddhau tu na kaścid vṛkṣo mama samaḥ ||
ພີສະມະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ດັ່ງທີ່ນາຣະດະເຄີຍກ່າວໄວ້, ພະເຈົ້າແຫ່ງລົມ (ມາຣຸດ) ແຂງແຮງຢູ່ເສມອ. ສ່ວນຂ້າພະເຈົ້ານັ້ນ ອ່ອນແອກວ່າແມ່ນແຕ່ຕົ້ນໄມ້ອື່ນໆ—ບໍ່ມີຂໍ້ສົງໄສ. ແຕ່ໃນການພິຈາລະນາ ແລະປັນຍາ ບໍ່ມີຕົ້ນໄມ້ໃດເທົ່າທຽມຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts physical power with intellectual discernment: one may be weak in strength yet excel in buddhi. It also models humility—acknowledging limitations without denying genuine excellence.
In Bhishma’s instruction in the Shanti Parva, a speaking tree (or tree-voice within the didactic tale) acknowledges Vayu’s superior might as affirmed by Narada, while asserting its own unmatched intelligence among trees—setting up a moral comparison between force and wisdom.