Shloka 20
Udyoga Parva Adhyāya 132 — Vidura’s Counsel on Udyama, Yaśas, and Kṣātra-Dharma
कायर! तेरे इष्ट और आपूर्त कर्म नष्ट हो गये, सारी कीर्ति धूलमें मिल गयी और भोगका मूल साधन राज्य भी छिन गया, अब तू किसलिये जी रहा है? ।।
śatrur nimajjata grāhyo jaḍghāyāṃ prapatiṣyatā | viparicchinnam amūlo 'pi na viṣīdet kathaṃcana ||
风神伐由说道：“懦夫！你的祭祀与施济之功（iṣṭa、pūrta）已尽毁，你的名声尽成尘土；而王国——享乐之本——也被夺去。如今你为何还活着？敌人沉没之时也当攫住；滑坠将倒之际也当击其股。纵使断绝依凭，似乎无根无本，也不可在任何情况下陷入绝望。”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse urges unwavering resolve: even when circumstances are broken and support seems lost, one should not collapse into despair; in conflict, one must act decisively rather than hesitate.
Vāyu addresses a person in a crisis of defeat and loss, pressing him toward firmness and action, framing the moment as a test of courage and duty rather than a reason for self-pity.