Shloka 9
Udyoga Parva Adhyāya 132 — Vidura’s Counsel on Udyama, Yaśas, and Kṣātra-Dharma
सुपूरा वै कुनदिका सुपूरो मूषिकाउ्जलि: । सुसंतोष: कापुरुष: स्वल्पकेनैव तुष्यति
supūrā vai kunadikā supūro mūṣikāñjaliḥ | susantoṣaḥ kāpuruṣaḥ svalpakenaiva tuṣyati ||
ଯେପରି ଛୋଟ ନଦୀ ଅଳ୍ପ ଜଳରେ ସହଜେ ପୂରିଯାଏ ଏବଂ ମୂଷାର ଅଞ୍ଜଳି ଅଳ୍ପ ଧାନ୍ୟରେ ପୂରିଯାଏ, ସେପରି କାପୁରୁଷ ଅଳ୍ପରେ ହିଁ ସନ୍ତୁଷ୍ଟ ହୋଇଯାଏ—ତାକୁ ସନ୍ତୋଷ ଦେବା ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ସହଜ।
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse criticizes cowardice as a mindset that settles for minimal gain or comfort; such a person is easily appeased and thus unfit for demanding duties where courage and perseverance are required.
Vāyudeva delivers a pointed moral observation using two everyday images—a small stream and a mouse’s tiny handful—to illustrate how quickly a coward becomes satisfied, implying a contrast with the steadfastness expected in the larger conflict setting of the Udyoga Parva.