Shloka 16
Ālasyadoṣa-nirdeśa (On the Fault of Negligence) — The Camel’s Long-Neck Exemplum
एवं दुर्बुद्धिना प्राप्तमुष्टेण निधनं तदा । आलस्यस्य क्रमात् पश्य महान्तं दोषमागतम्
evaṁ durbuddhinā prāptamuṣṭeṇa nidhanaṁ tadā | ālasyasya kramāt paśya mahāntaṁ doṣam āgatam ||
இவ்வாறு தீய புத்தியால் அந்த ஒட்டகம் ஒரு கைமுத்தளவு காரணத்தாலேயே மரணத்தை அடைந்தது. பார்—சோம்பல் படிப்படியாகப் பெரும் குற்றமாக வளர்ந்து அழிவைத் தருகிறது.
उड्ड उवाच
Educational Q&A
Negligence and laziness are not minor flaws: they progress step by step into major moral failure, and when joined with foolish judgment (durbuddhi), they can culminate in sudden catastrophe—even death from something as small as a fist-blow.
Uḍḍa draws a moral from an example just cited: due to foolish conduct, a person meets death through a simple fist. He uses this to warn the listener to observe how laziness gradually breeds serious faults and disastrous outcomes.