Shloka 84
उत्पातवर्णनम् (Utpāta-varṇanam) — Catalogue of Portents
न वैनतेयो गरुड: प्रशंसति महाजनम् । दृष्टवा सुपर्णोडपचितिं महत्या अपि भारत,भारत! सुन्दर पंखोंवाले विनतानन्दन गरुड़ विशाल सेनाका भी विनाश होता देखकर अधिक जनसमूहकी प्रशंसा नहीं करते हैं
na vainateyo garuḍaḥ praśaṃsati mahājanam | dṛṣṭvā suparṇoḍapacitiṃ mahatyā api bhārata ||
Wika ni Vyāsa: “Maging si Vainateya, si Garuḍa—ang magandang-pakpak na anak ni Vinatā—ay hindi pumupuri sa malaking karamihan. Sapagkat, O Bhārata, kahit matapos masaksihan ang napakalawak na pagkapuksa ng isang makapangyarihang hukbo, ang marurunong ay hindi niluluwalhati ang dami lamang; higit nilang pinahahalagahan ang wastong paghatol at matuwid na asal kaysa bilang.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Numbers and mass enthusiasm are not reliable measures of truth or righteousness; the wise do not glorify mere crowds, especially when they lead to ruin. Discernment and dharma matter more than magnitude.
Vyāsa uses Garuḍa as an illustrative example: even a mighty being, after seeing the devastation of a great host, does not praise the ‘great multitude.’ The point is to caution against valuing sheer size or popular acclaim in the context of conflict.