Shloka 63

हंस–साध्यसंवादः, वाक्-निग्रहः, महाकुल-लक्षणम्, शान्ति-उपायः

Hamsa–Sādhya Dialogue; Restraint of Speech; Marks of Noble Lineage; Means to Peace

Devanagari script

लताधर्मा त्वं सपुत्र: शाला: पाण्डुसुता मता: । न लता वर्धते जातु महाद्रुममनाश्रिता

Transliteration

latādharmā tvaṃ saputraḥ śālāḥ pāṇḍusutā matāḥ | na latā vardhate jātu mahādrumam anāśritā ||

Translation

毗度罗说道：“你与诸子如同攀援之藤，而般度之子被视为高大的娑罗巨树。藤蔓若不依托大树，终不能真正生长。”

Word by Word

• लता: creeper, vine
• लता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मा: nature, character (having the nature of)
• धर्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• स: with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• शालाः: śāla trees
• शालाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पाण्डु: of Pāṇḍu
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सुताः: sons
• सुताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मताः: are considered, are regarded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत (√मन्/√मि 'to think' past passive participle)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• लता: a creeper
• लता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• वर्धते: grows
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृध्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Ātmanepada

• जातु: ever, at any time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जातु

• महाद्रुमम्: a great tree
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाद्रुम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनाश्रिता: not having taken refuge in, not supported by
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाश्रित (√श्रि with उपसर्ग आ; past passive participle with negation)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Duryodhana (implied as 'you')
• Kauravas (implied as 'your sons')
• Pāṇḍavas
• Pāṇḍu
• latā (vine/creeper)
• mahādruma (great tree)
• śāla tree

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the weak or unstable should not act in arrogant independence against the strong and righteous; like a vine, one prospers by taking proper support—through humility, wise alliance, and adherence to dharma—rather than by antagonism.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura counsels the Kuru side (addressing Duryodhana and his party) during the tense pre-war negotiations. Using a metaphor, he warns that opposing the Pāṇḍavas is self-destructive and urges a policy of reconciliation and prudent dependence instead of confrontation.