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Shloka 6

उद्योगपर्व — धृतराष्ट्रस्य दुर्योधनप्रति शक्तिस्मारक-उपदेशः

Udyoga Parva 63: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel Reminding Duryodhana of Opponent Strength

विचित्रमिदमाश्चर्य मृगहन्‌ प्रतिभाति मे । प्लवमानौ हि खचरौ पदातिरनुधावसि

vicitram idam āścaryaṁ mṛgahan pratibhāti me | plavamānau hi khacarau padātir anudhāvasi ||

Видура сказал: «Странным и поразительным кажется мне это, о охотник: те две птицы летят по небу, а ты — пеший — бежишь за ними по земле».

विचित्रम्strange, wonderful
विचित्रम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootविचित्र
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
इदम्this
इदम्:
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
आश्चर्यम्a marvel, wonder
आश्चर्यम्:
TypeNoun
Rootआश्चर्य
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
मृगहन्O hunter (slayer of beasts)
मृगहन्:
TypeNoun
Rootमृगहन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
प्रतिभातिappears, seems
प्रतिभाति:
TypeVerb
Rootप्रति-भा
FormPresent, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
मेto me
मे:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormDative, Singular
प्लवमानौflying, floating
प्लवमानौ:
TypeAdjective
Rootप्लवमान
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
हिindeed, for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
खचरौtwo birds (sky-goers)
खचरौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootखचर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
पदातिःa foot-soldier; one on foot
पदातिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपदाति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अनुधावसिyou run after, pursue
अनुधावसि:
TypeVerb
Rootअनु-धाव्
FormPresent, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

विदुर उवाच

V
Vidura
M
mṛgahan (hunter)
T
two birds (khacarau)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the mismatch between means and ends: pursuing what is out of reach with inadequate means is folly. It implicitly urges discernment (viveka) and restraint—key elements of dharma and practical ethics.

Vidura addresses a hunter, expressing amazement that the hunter is running on foot on the ground while trying to chase two birds flying in the sky, setting up a moral reflection on misguided pursuit.