Shloka 7
Tapas as the Root of Attainment (तपः—साधनमूलप्रशंसा)
नल्वमात्रपरीणाहो घनच्छायो वनस्पति: । सारिकाशुकसंजुष्ट: पुष्पवान्ू फलवानपि
nalvamātraparīṇāho ghanacchāyo vanaspatiḥ | sārikāśukasaṃjuṣṭaḥ puṣpavān phalavān api ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “May isang dakilang punongkahoy; hindi man kalakihan ang kapal ng katawan, siksik at malalim ang lilim. Dinadayo ito ng mga pangkat ng myna at mga loro, at hitik sa bulaklak at sa bunga.”
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.