Casting off his branches and leaves and flowers, at morn the tree looked
steadily at the Wind, as he came towards him. Filled with rage and
breathing hard, the Wind advanced, felling large trees, towards that spot
where the Salmali stood. Beholding him divested of top and branches and
leaves and flowers, the Wind, filled with joy, smilingly addressed that
lord of the forest which had before such a gigantic appearance, these
words.'
"The Wind said, 'Filled with rage, O Salmali, I would have done to thee
precisely what thou hast done to thyself by lopping off all thy branches.
Thou art now divested of thy proud top and flowers, and thou art now
without thy shoots and leaves. In consequence of thy own evil counsels,
thou hast been brought under my power.'
"Bhishma continued, 'Hearing these words of the Wind, the Salmali felt
great shame. Remembering also the words that Narada had said, he began to
repent greatly for his folly. Even in this way, O tiger among kings, a
weak and foolish person, by provoking the enmity of a powerful one, is at
last obliged to repent like the Salmali in fable. Even when possessed of
equal might, people do not suddenly wage hostilities with those that have
injured them. On the other hand, they display their might gradually, O
king! A person of foolish understanding should never provoke the
hostility of one that is possessed of intelligence. In such cases the
intelligence of the intelligent man penetrates (the subject upon which it
is employed) like fire penetrating a heap of dry grass.
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