Shloka 56
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय 33: धृतराष्ट्र-विदुर संवादः (विदुरनीतिः)
अविजित्य य आत्मानममात्यान् विजिगीषते । अमित्रान् वाजितामात्य: सोडवश: परिहीयते
avijitya ya ātmānam amātyān vijigīṣate | amitrān vā ajitāmātyaḥ so 'vaśaḥ parihīyate ||
قال فيدورا: من لم يقهر نفسه أولاً ثم أراد إخضاع وزرائه؛ أو من لم يضبط وزراءه ثم تمنى قهر أعدائه—فذلك الرجل، لافتقاره إلى كبح الحواس والانضباط الباطن، يهجره الناس جميعاً ويؤول إلى الهلاك عاجزاً.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Effective rule and victory begin with self-mastery. Without conquering one’s own impulses and disciplining one’s inner life, attempts to control ministers or defeat enemies collapse; such a leader loses support and falls into helpless decline.
In Vidura’s counsel during the Udyoga Parva, he lays down a principle of political and ethical governance: a king must first govern himself, then his administration (ministers), and only then can he hope to prevail over external foes.