Mahabharata 11.2.296 — Stree Parva, Adhyaya 2, Shloka 296
Strī Parva, Adhyāya 2 — Vidura’s Consolation on Kāla, Karma, and the Limits of Lamentation (विदुरोपदेशः)
न च नापैति कार्यार्थात्र्त्रिवर्गाच्चैव हीयते । जो आप यह शोक कर रहे हैं
na ca nāpaiti kāryārthāt trivargāc caiva hīyate
Vidura says that grieving in this way accomplishes no duty and serves no purpose; rather, it turns a person from the path of rightful action and deprives him of the three human aims—dharma, artha, and kāma. Such sorrow not only diverts one from what must be done, but also robs one of righteousness, prosperity, and legitimate enjoyment.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Grief that paralyzes action is unproductive: it does not help one fulfill duty or achieve any meaningful end, and it erodes the three aims of life—righteousness (dharma), material well-being (artha), and legitimate enjoyment (kāma).
In the Stree Parva’s aftermath of the war, Vidura offers counsel meant to steady the mind: he warns that indulgence in sorrow leads away from purposeful action and undermines the fundamental goals that sustain a balanced life.
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