Shloka 7
Tapas as the Root of Attainment (तपः—साधनमूलप्रशंसा)
नल्वमात्रपरीणाहो घनच्छायो वनस्पति: । सारिकाशुकसंजुष्ट: पुष्पवान्ू फलवानपि
nalvamātraparīṇāho ghanacchāyo vanaspatiḥ | sārikāśukasaṃjuṣṭaḥ puṣpavān phalavān api ||
அங்கே ஒரு மரம் இருந்தது—அதன் தண்டு மிகப் பெரிதல்ல; ஆனால் அதன் நிழல் அடர்த்தியாக இருந்தது. மைனா, கிளி கூட்டங்கள் அதில் தங்கின; அந்த மரம் மலர்களாலும் கனிகளாலும் நிறைந்திருந்தது.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses a vivid natural image to suggest that a single source of goodness and abundance can become a refuge for many. Ethically, it points toward the value of being supportive—like a flourishing tree that offers shade, food, and a dwelling-place to others.
Bhishma is describing a remarkable tree: slender in girth yet with a dense canopy, inhabited by parrots and mynas, and filled with flowers and fruits. The description functions as a scene-setting image within his broader instruction in Shanti Parva.