Shloka 20
Udyoga Parva Adhyāya 132 — Vidura’s Counsel on Udyama, Yaśas, and Kṣātra-Dharma
कायर! तेरे इष्ट और आपूर्त कर्म नष्ट हो गये, सारी कीर्ति धूलमें मिल गयी और भोगका मूल साधन राज्य भी छिन गया, अब तू किसलिये जी रहा है? ।।
śatrur nimajjata grāhyo jaḍghāyāṃ prapatiṣyatā | viparicchinnam amūlo 'pi na viṣīdet kathaṃcana ||
Vāyu disse: “Covarde! Teus atos meritórios (iṣṭa e pūrta) pereceram, toda a tua fama virou pó, e o reino —raiz dos teus prazeres— foi-te arrancado. Para que vives agora? O inimigo que afunda deve ser agarrado; o que escorrega e está prestes a cair deve ser golpeado na coxa. Ainda que alguém fique sem amparo e pareça sem raízes, não deve de modo algum cair no desespero.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse urges unwavering resolve: even when circumstances are broken and support seems lost, one should not collapse into despair; in conflict, one must act decisively rather than hesitate.
Vāyu addresses a person in a crisis of defeat and loss, pressing him toward firmness and action, framing the moment as a test of courage and duty rather than a reason for self-pity.