Shloka 16
याज्ञसेनी-प्रश्नः
Draupadī’s Question in the Assembly
वृक्षानज्रारकारीव मैनान् धाक्षी: समूलकान् | मा गम: ससुतामात्य: सबलश्न यमक्षयम्,जैसे कोयला बनानेवाला वृक्षोंको जलाकर भस्म कर देता है, उसी प्रकार आप इन्हें जड़मूलसहित जलानेकी चेष्टा न कीजिये। कहीं ऐसा न हो कि पाण्डवोंके साथ विरोध करनेके कारण आपको पुत्र, मन्त्री और सेनाके साथ यमलोकमें जाना पड़े
vṛkṣān aṅgārakārīva mainān dhākṣīḥ samūlakān | mā gamaḥ sasutāmātyaḥ sabalaś ca yamākṣayam ||
Vidura berkata: “Seperti pembakar arang yang membakar pohon hingga menjadi abu, janganlah engkau cuba membinasakan mereka sampai ke akar umbi. Berwaspadalah, jangan sampai kerana menentang para Pāṇḍava, engkau sendiri—bersama anak-anakmu, para menteri, dan bala tentera—diheret ke alam Yama, menuju kebinasaan.”
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.