Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 62

Ārjava, Satya, and the Virocana–Sudhanvan Exemplum

Udyoga-parva 35

महानप्येकजो वृक्षो बलवान्‌ सुप्रतिष्ठित: । प्रसह एव वातेन सस्कन्धो मर्दितुं क्षणात्‌,यदि वृक्ष अकेला है तो वह बलवान, दृढ़मूल तथा बहुत बड़ा होनेपर भी एक ही क्षणमें आँधीके द्वारा बलपूर्वक शाखाओंसहित धराशायी किया जा सकता है

mahān apy ekajo vṛkṣo balavān supratiṣṭhitaḥ | prasaha eva vātena sa-skandho mardituṃ kṣaṇāt ||

วิทุระกล่าวว่า—แม้ต้นไม้ใหญ่ต้นหนึ่งจะยืนเดี่ยว แข็งแรงและหยั่งรากมั่นคงเพียงใด พายุยังอาจโค่นบดขยี้มันพร้อมกิ่งก้านได้ในชั่วขณะเดียว.

महान्great, large
महान्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अपिeven, although
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
एकजःsingle-born; standing alone (solitary)
एकजः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootएकज
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वृक्षःtree
वृक्षः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवृक्ष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
बलवान्strong
बलवान्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootबलवत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सुप्रतिष्ठितःwell-established; firmly rooted
सुप्रतिष्ठितः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसुप्रतिष्ठित
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रसहforcibly, violently
प्रसह:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रसह
एवindeed, just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
वातेनby the wind
वातेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootवात
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
स-स्कन्धःwith trunk/branches (lit. with the skandha)
स-स्कन्धः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootस्कन्ध
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मर्दितुम्to crush, to fell
मर्दितुम्:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootमृद्
FormInfinitive
क्षणात्in a moment; within an instant
क्षणात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootक्षण
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular

विदुर उवाच

V
Vidura
T
tree (vṛkṣa)
W
wind/storm (vāta)

Educational Q&A

Power and stability are not enough if one is isolated; even the strong can be quickly ruined. Ethical and practical wisdom advises seeking support—good allies, counsel, and community—so that adversity cannot easily uproot one.

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers moral-political counsel. Here he uses a vivid metaphor—an immense solitary tree felled by a storm—to warn that standing alone invites sudden destruction, implying the need for prudent association and collective strength.