Shloka 28
Vidura-nīti: Atithi-dharma, Trust, Counsel-Secrecy, and Traits of Sustainable Rule
Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 38
पश्चादपि नरश्रेष्ठ तव तापो भविष्यति । तान् वा हतान् सुतान् वापि श्रुत्वा तदनुचिन्तय
paścād api naraśreṣṭha tava tāpo bhaviṣyati | tān vā hatān sutān vāpi śrutvā tad anucintaya ||
Vidura sagte: „Auch später noch, o Bester der Menschen, wird dich die Reue verzehren. Ob du hörst, dass die Pāṇḍavas erschlagen wurden, oder ob du hörst, dass deine eigenen Söhne erschlagen wurden—Kummer wird gewiss folgen. Darum bedenke dies im Voraus und wähle den Weg, der solches Verderben verhindert.“
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vidura urges foresight and ethical deliberation: a ruler should anticipate the inevitable remorse that follows violence and partiality, and therefore act now to prevent a catastrophic outcome rather than lament later.
In the Udyoga Parva, as war approaches, Vidura counsels King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. He warns that whichever side suffers death—Pāṇḍavas or Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s own sons—the king will be tormented by grief, so he must reflect and choose a peace-oriented, dharmic course before it is too late.