12.151
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
एवमुक्त्वा तु राजेन्द्र शल्मलिं ब्रह्मवित्तमः। नारदः पवने सर्वं शल्मलेर्वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥१२-१५१-१॥
Having thus spoken to Śalmali, O king, the foremost knower of Brahman, Nārada narrated all of Śalmali's words to the wind.
हिमवत्पृष्ठजः कश्चिच्छल्मलिः परिवारवान्। बृहन्मूलो बृहच्छाखः स त्वां वायोऽवमन्यते ॥१२-१५१-२॥
A certain silk-cotton tree, born on the slopes of the Himalaya, surrounded by its kin, with great roots and branches, now dares to disregard you, O Vāyu.
बहून्याक्षेपयुक्तानि त्वामाह वचनानि सः। न युक्तानि मया वायो तानि वक्तुं त्वयि प्रभो ॥१२-१५१-३॥
He spoke many reproachful words to you; O Vāyu, it was not proper for me to say those things to you, O lord.
जानामि त्वामहं वायो सर्वप्राणभृतां वरम्। वरिष्ठं च गरिष्ठं च क्रोधे वैवस्वतं यथा ॥१२-१५१-४॥
I know you, O Vāyu, as the foremost among all beings who sustain life; you are the most excellent and the mightiest, and in anger, you are like Vaivasvata (Yama), the god of death.
एवं तु वचनं श्रुत्वा नारदस्य समीरणः। शल्मलिं तमुपागम्य क्रुद्धो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥१२-१५१-५॥
Having thus heard Nārada's words, the Wind-god, angry, approached the Śalmali tree and spoke.
शल्मले नारदे यत्तत्त्वयोक्तं मद्विगर्हणम्। अहं वायुः प्रभावं ते दर्शयाम्यात्मनो बलम् ॥१२-१५१-६॥
O Śalmali and Nārada, regarding the reproach of me that was declared as truth, I, Vāyu, will now show you the power of my own strength.
नाहं त्वा नाभिजानामि विदितश्चासि मे द्रुम। पितामहः प्रजासर्गे त्वयि विश्रान्तवान्प्रभुः ॥१२-१५१-७॥
I do not recognize you, but you are known to me, O tree. At the creation of beings, my grandfather, the lord, rested in you.
तस्य विश्रमणादेव प्रसादो यः कृतस्तव। रक्ष्यसे तेन दुर्बुद्धे नात्मवीर्याद्द्रुमाधम ॥१२-१५१-८॥
The favor done for you by his resting alone protects you, O wicked-minded one, not your own strength, O lowest of trees.
यन्मा त्वमवजानीषे यथान्यं प्राकृतं तथा। दर्शयाम्येष आत्मानं यथा मामवभोत्स्यसे ॥१२-१५१-९॥
Because you have disregarded me as an ordinary person, I will now reveal my true self to you so that you may understand who I truly am.
एवमुक्तस्ततः प्राह शल्मलिः प्रहसन्निव। पवन त्वं वने क्रुद्धो दर्शयात्मानमात्मना ॥१२-१५१-१०॥
Thus addressed, the silk-cotton tree, as if smiling, said: "O Wind, if you are angry in the forest, show your true self by your own power."
मयि वै त्यज्यतां क्रोधः किं मे क्रुद्धः करिष्यसि। न ते बिभेमि पवन यद्यपि त्वं स्वयम्प्रभुः ॥१२-१५१-११॥
Let anger towards me be abandoned indeed; what can you do to me by being angry? I do not fear you, O Wind, even though you are your own master.
इत्येवमुक्तः पवनः श्व इत्येवाब्रवीद्वचः। दर्शयिष्यामि ते तेजस्ततो रात्रिरुपागमत् ॥१२-१५१-१२॥
Thus addressed, the Wind (god) said: "Tomorrow, I will show you the splendor." Then night fell.
अथ निश्चित्य मनसा शल्मलिर्वातकारितम्। पश्यमानस्तदात्मानमसमं मातरिश्वनः ॥१२-१५१-१३॥
Then, having determined in his mind the silk-cotton tree shaken by the wind, the wind-god, seeing that self as unequal, (acted thus).
नारदे यन्मया प्रोक्तं पवनं प्रति तन्मृषा। असमर्थो ह्यहं वायोर्बलेन बलवान्हि सः ॥१२-१५१-१४॥
O Nārada, what I told Vāyu was untrue; I am truly powerless compared to Vāyu's strength, for he is indeed powerful.
मारुतो बलवान्नित्यं यथैनं नारदोऽब्रवीत्। अहं हि दुर्बलोऽन्येभ्यो वृक्षेभ्यो नात्र संशयः ॥१२-१५१-१५॥
The wind is always powerful, as Nārada said. As for me, I am certainly weaker than others, weaker than the trees; there is no doubt about it.
किं तु बुद्ध्या समो नास्ति मम कश्चिद्वनस्पतिः। तदहं बुद्धिमास्थाय भयं मोक्ष्ये समीरणात् ॥१२-१५१-१६॥
But there is no tree equal to my intellect. Therefore, I will rely on my intellect and free myself from the fear of the wind.
यदि तां बुद्धिमास्थाय चरेयुः पर्णिनो वने। अरिष्टाः स्युः सदा क्रुद्धात्पवनान्नात्र संशयः ॥१२-१५१-१७॥
If the leaf-eaters in the forest act with that wisdom, they will always be safe from the angry wind; there is no doubt about this.
तेऽत्र बाला न जानन्ति यथा नैनान्समीरणः। समीरयेत सङ्क्रुद्धो यथा जानाम्यहं तथा ॥१२-१५१-१८॥
These here are children and do not know, just as the wind does not know them; if the wind, being very angry, were to blow as I know, so it would be.
ततो निश्चित्य मनसा शल्मलिः क्षुभितस्तदा। शाखाः स्कन्धान्प्रशाखाश्च स्वयमेव व्यशातयत् ॥१२-१५१-१९॥
Then, having resolved in its mind, the agitated silk-cotton tree itself shook off its branches, trunks, and sub-branches.
स परित्यज्य शाखाश्च पत्राणि कुसुमानि च। प्रभाते वायुमायान्तं प्रत्यैक्षत वनस्पतिः ॥१२-१५१-२०॥
In the morning, the tree, having shed its branches, leaves, and flowers, looked at the approaching wind.
ततः क्रुद्धः श्वसन्वायुः पातयन्वै महाद्रुमान्। आजगामाथ तं देशं स्थितो यत्र स शल्मलिः ॥१२-१५१-२१॥
Then, the furious wind, blowing violently and toppling great trees, arrived at the place where the Śalmali tree stood.
तं हीनपर्णं पतिताग्रशाखं; विशीर्णपुष्पं प्रसमीक्ष्य वायुः। उवाच वाक्यं स्मयमान एनं; मुदा युतं शल्मलिं रुग्णशाखम् ॥१२-१५१-२२॥
The wind, seeing the silk-cotton tree deprived of leaves, with fallen top branches and scattered flowers, joyfully and smilingly spoke these words to him, the tree with broken branches.
अहमप्येवमेव त्वां कुर्वाणः शल्मले रुषा। आत्मना यत्कृतं कृत्स्नं शाखानामपकर्षणम् ॥१२-१५१-२३॥
I too, in the same way, will act towards you, O silk-cotton tree, in anger, by myself, just as the complete removal of the branches was done.
हीनपुष्पाग्रशाखस्त्वं शीर्णाङ्कुरपलाशवान्। आत्मदुर्मन्त्रितेनेह मद्वीर्यवशगोऽभवः ॥१२-१५१-२४॥
You, whose branches are deprived of flowers and whose sprouts and leaves are withered, have here, by your own misguided counsel, come under my power.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो वायोः शल्मलिर्व्रीडितस्तदा। अतप्यत वचः स्मृत्वा नारदो यत्तदाब्रवीत् ॥१२-१५१-२५॥
When Śalmali heard these words of Vāyu, he became ashamed. Then, recalling the words that Nārada had spoken at that time, he was tormented.
एवं यो राजशार्दूल दुर्बलः सन्बलीयसा। वैरमासज्जते बालस्तप्यते शल्मलिर्यथा ॥१२-१५१-२६॥
O tiger among kings, in this way, when the weak forms enmity with the stronger, he is tormented, just as a child is scorched like the silk-cotton tree.
तस्माद्वैरं न कुर्वीत दुर्बलो बलवत्तरैः। शोचेद्धि वैरं कुर्वाणो यथा वै शल्मलिस्तथा ॥१२-१५१-२७॥
Therefore, the weak should not make enmity with those who are stronger. For one who makes enmity will surely grieve, just as the silk-cotton tree does.
न हि वैरं महात्मानो विवृण्वन्त्यपकारिषु। शनैः शनैर्महाराज दर्शयन्ति स्म ते बलम् ॥१२-१५१-२८॥
Great-souled ones do not display enmity towards wrongdoers. Gradually, O great king, they reveal their strength.
वैरं न कुर्वीत नरो दुर्बुद्धिर्बुद्धिजीविना। बुद्धिर्बुद्धिमतो याति तूलेष्विव हुताशनः ॥१२-१५१-२९॥
A man of evil intellect should not make enmity with one who lives by intellect. The intellect of the wise moves among obstacles like fire through cotton.
न हि बुद्ध्या समं किञ्चिद्विद्यते पुरुषे नृप। तथा बलेन राजेन्द्र न समोऽस्तीति चिन्तयेत् ॥१२-१५१-३०॥
O king, truly, nothing in a person is equal to intellect; likewise, O king of kings, one should consider that there is no equal to strength.
तस्मात्क्षमेत बालाय जडाय बधिराय च। बलाधिकाय राजेन्द्र तद्दृष्टं त्वयि शत्रुहन् ॥१२-१५१-३१॥
Therefore, O king, you should forgive the child, the dull-witted, the deaf, and the stronger; O destroyer of enemies, you have seen this.
अक्षौहिण्यो दशैका च सप्त चैव महाद्युते। बलेन न समा राजन्नर्जुनस्य महात्मनः ॥१२-१५१-३२॥
O king, even ten, one, and seven divisions of an army, O greatly radiant one, are not equal in strength to the great-souled Arjuna.
हतास्ताश्चैव भग्नाश्च पाण्डवेन यशस्विना। चरता बलमास्थाय पाकशासनिना मृधे ॥१२-१५१-३३॥
Those were slain and broken by the glorious Pāṇḍava, who, moving in battle, relying on his strength, acted as the subduer of Pāka (Indra).
उक्तास्ते राजधर्माश्च आपद्धर्माश्च भारत। विस्तरेण महाराज किं भूयः प्रब्रवीमि ते ॥१२-१५१-३४॥
O Bhārata, I have already explained to you the duties of a king and those in times of adversity. O great king, what more should I tell you in detail?
