Shloka 41

हंस–साध्यसंवादः, वाक्-निग्रहः, महाकुल-लक्षणम्, शान्ति-उपायः

Hamsa–Sādhya Dialogue; Restraint of Speech; Marks of Noble Lineage; Means to Peace

Devanagari script

वृद्धि: प्रभावस्तेजश्न सत्त्वमुत्थानमेव च । व्यवसायश्न यस्य स्यात्‌ तस्यावृत्तिभयं कुतः,जिसमें बढ़नेकी शक्ति, प्रभाव, तेज, पराक्रम, उद्योग और (अपने कर्तव्यका) निश्चय है, उसे अपनी जीविकाके नाशका भय कैसे हो सकता है?

Transliteration

vṛddhiḥ prabhāvas tejaś ca sattvam utthānam eva ca | vyavasāyaś ca yasya syāt tasyāvṛttibhayaṃ kutaḥ ||

Translation

Vidura sprach: Wer die Kraft zum Wachsen besitzt, Einfluss, inneren Glanz, standhaften Mut, tatkräftigen Eifer und feste Entschlossenheit in der Pflicht—wie sollte der fürchten, dass sein Lebensunterhalt versagt? Diese Eigenschaften selbst werden zum Schutz vor Mangel, denn sie bringen fortwährend rechtes Bemühen und rechtmäßige Mittel des Auskommens hervor.

Word by Word

वृद्धिःgrowth, increase

प्रभावःinfluence, power

तेजःsplendor, vigor

सत्त्वम्courage, inner strength

उत्थानम्rising up, enterprise

एवindeed, just

चand

व्यवसायःresolve, determination

चand

यस्यof whom, whose

स्यात्may be, would be

तस्यof him, for him

आवृत्तिःlivelihood, means of subsistence (lit. recurring return)

भयम्fear

कुतःwhence? how? why?

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Vidura teaches that fear about losing one’s livelihood is dispelled by cultivating inner and practical strengths—capacity for growth, influence, vigor, courage, initiative, and firm resolve in one’s duty. These virtues generate effective action and resilience, making sustenance secure.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers ethical and practical counsel in a tense pre-war context. Here he emphasizes character-based security: a person grounded in strength, enterprise, and determination need not be anxious about material support.