Shloka 75

उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय 33: धृतराष्ट्र-विदुर संवादः (विदुरनीतिः)

Devanagari script

हिंसा बलमसाधूनां राज्ञां दण्डविधिबलम्‌ | शुश्रूषा तु बल॑ स्त्रीणां क्षमा गुणवतां बलम्‌,दुष्ट पुरुषोंका बल है हिंसा, राजाओंका बल है दण्ड देना, स्त्रियोंका बल है सेवा और गुणवानोंका बल है क्षमा

Transliteration

hiṃsā balam asādhūnāṃ rājñāṃ daṇḍa-vidhi-balam | śuśrūṣā tu balaṃ strīṇāṃ kṣamā guṇavatāṃ balam ||

Translation

Vidura sprach: Für die Bösen nimmt Stärke die Gestalt der Gewalt an; für Könige liegt Stärke in der gerechten Ausübung der Strafe. Für Frauen ist Stärke hingebungsvoller Dienst; und für die Tugendhaften ist Stärke Vergebung.

Word by Word

• हिंसा: violence
• हिंसा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिंसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• असाधूनाम्: of the wicked (people)
• असाधूनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: असाधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• राज्ञाम्: of kings
• राज्ञाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• दण्डविधि-बलम्: strength consisting in the administration of punishment
• दण्डविधि-बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डविधि (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• शुश्रूषा: service, attendance
• शुश्रूषा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/and (contrastive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• क्षमा: forbearance, forgiveness
• क्षमा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• गुणवताम्: of the virtuous
• गुणवताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse distinguishes kinds of 'strength' according to character and duty: the wicked rely on violence, rulers must rely on lawful punishment to uphold order, devoted service is praised as a strength in the domestic sphere, and the truly virtuous display strength through forgiveness and restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura delivers moral counsel (nīti) amid rising tensions before the great war, emphasizing dharmic conduct and the proper use of power—especially contrasting destructive force with disciplined governance and inner virtue.