Shloka 8

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

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

Devanagari script

जरा रूप॑ हरति हि धैर्यमाशा मृत्यु: प्राणान्‌ धर्मचर्यामसूया । कामो हट्िियं वृत्तमनार्यसेवा क्रोध: श्रियं सर्वमेवाभिमान:,बुढ़ापा रूपका, आशा बथैर्यका, मृत्यु प्राणोंका, दूसरोंके गुणोंमें दोषदृष्टि धर्मांचरणका, काम लज्जाका, नीच पुरुषोंकी सेवा सदाचारका, क्रोध लक्ष्मीका और अभिमान सर्वस्वका ही नाश कर देता है

Transliteration

jarā rūpaṁ harati hi dhairyam āśā mṛtyuḥ prāṇān dharmacaryām asūyā | kāmo hrīṁ vṛttam anāryasevā krodhaḥ śriyaṁ sarvam evābhimānaḥ ||

Translation

Vidura lehrt, dass gewisse innere und äußere Kräfte einem Menschen nach und nach seine besten Güter entreißen. Das Alter nimmt die Schönheit; Hoffnung, wenn sie zur klammernden Erwartung wird, zersetzt die Standhaftigkeit; der Tod raubt den Lebenshauch; missgünstige Fehlersuche zerstört die Ausübung des Dharma; Begierde vernichtet die Scham; der Dienst an Niedrigen untergräbt gutes Verhalten; Zorn zerstört Wohlstand; und Hochmut kann alles auslöschen. Die Mahnung ist ethisch wie praktisch: Hüte den Geist, denn moralischer Verfall beginnt oft mit diesen feinen Dieben.

Word by Word

• {'jarā': 'old age, senescence', 'rūpa': 'form, beauty, appearance', 'harati': 'takes away, removes', 'dhairya': 'steadfastness, courage, composure', 'āśā': 'hope, expectation', 'mṛtyuḥ': 'death', 'prāṇān': 'life-breaths, vital forces', 'dharmacaryā': 'practice/observance of dharma, righteous conduct', 'asūyā': 'envy, spite

• fault-finding at others’ merits', 'kāma': 'desire, lust', 'hrī': 'modesty, shame, moral restraint', 'vṛtta': 'good conduct, virtuous behavior', 'anārya-sevā': 'service to the ignoble/unworthy

• association with base people', 'krodha': 'anger, wrath', 'śrī': 'prosperity, fortune, splendor', 'sarvam': 'everything, all', 'abhimāna': 'pride, self-conceit, arrogance'}

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• jarā (old age)
• mṛtyu (death)
• kāma (desire)
• krodha (anger)
• abhimāna (pride)
• śrī (prosperity/fortune)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Vidura lists the main ‘destroyers’ of human excellence—beauty, courage, life, dharma-practice, modesty, good conduct, prosperity, and finally everything—showing how unchecked hope, envy, desire, bad company, anger, and pride lead to ethical ruin.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura is giving moral-political counsel during the tense pre-war negotiations. This verse is part of his ethical instruction, warning the Kuru court about inner vices that undermine right judgment and stability.