Shloka 60

धृतराष्ट्रविलापः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament and Inquiry (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 2)

Devanagari script

पूर्वमेवाहमुक्तो वै विदुरेण महात्मना

Transliteration

pūrvam evāham ukto vai vidureṇa mahātmanā

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Schon zuvor war ich vom großherzigen Vidura unterwiesen worden.“

Word by Word

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व
• Form: Avyaya (adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव
• Form: Avyaya (emphatic particle)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Gender: (common); Case: Nominative; Number: Singular

• उक्तः: spoken to, addressed
• उक्तः: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Past passive participle; Gender: Masculine; Case: Nominative; Number: Singular

• वै: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै
• Form: Avyaya (particle)

• विदुरेण: by Vidura
• विदुरेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदुर
• Form: Gender: Masculine; Case: Instrumental; Number: Singular

• महात्मना: by the great-souled (one)
• महात्मना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Gender: Masculine; Case: Instrumental; Number: Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Vidura

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line highlights the authority of prior ethical counsel: the speaker grounds the present account in earlier instruction received from Vidura, a figure emblematic of dharma and prudent statecraft.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within Vaiśampāyana’s narration, he recalls that he had already been advised by Vidura earlier, signaling a transition to or justification for the guidance or recollection that follows.