Shloka 17

Adhyāya 129 — Public Acclaim of the Pāṇḍavas and Duryodhana’s Appeal to Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Devanagari script

विदुर उवाच मैवं वदस्व कल्याणि शेषसंरक्षणं कुरु । प्रत्यादिष्टो हि दुष्टात्मा शेषेडपि प्रहरेत्‌ तव,विदुरजीने कहा--कल्याणी! ऐसी बात मुहसे न निकालो, शेष पुत्रोंकी रक्षा करो। यदि दुर्योधनको उलाहना देकर इस विषयमें पूछ-ताछ की जायगी तो वह दुष्टात्मा तुम्हारे शैष पुत्रोंपर भी प्रहार कर सकता है

Transliteration

vidura uvāca māivaṁ vadasva kalyāṇi śeṣa-saṁrakṣaṇaṁ kuru | pratyādiṣṭo hi duṣṭātmā śeṣeṣv api praharet tava ||

Translation

Vidura said: “Do not speak like this, auspicious lady. Instead, take measures to protect those who remain. For if that wicked-souled man is confronted and rebuked, he may even strike at your surviving sons as well.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'mā', 'definition': 'do not (prohibitive particle)'}, {'term': 'evaṁ', 'definition': 'thus

• in this manner'}, {'term': 'vadasva', 'definition': 'speak (2nd person singular, imperative/benedictive sense)'}, {'term': 'kalyāṇi', 'definition': 'O auspicious one

• noble lady (vocative feminine)'}, {'term': 'śeṣa', 'definition': 'remaining

• those left alive'}, {'term': 'saṁrakṣaṇam', 'definition': 'protection

• safeguarding'}, {'term': 'kuru', 'definition': 'do

• undertake (imperative)'}, {'term': 'pratyādiṣṭaḥ', 'definition': 'rebuked

• confronted (lit. ‘answered back/checked’)'}, {'term': 'hi', 'definition': 'indeed

• for'}, {'term': 'duṣṭātmā', 'definition': 'wicked-minded

• evil-souled person'}, {'term': 'śeṣeṣu api', 'definition': 'even among/against the remaining ones'}, {'term': 'praharet', 'definition': 'might strike

• might attack (optative)'}, {'term': 'tava', 'definition': 'your'}]

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Duryodhana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Vidura emphasizes prudent dharma: when facing a powerful wrongdoer, one should prioritize safeguarding the innocent and the survivors rather than provoking retaliation that could worsen harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vidura counsels a noble woman not to speak in a way that would invite a direct rebuke of Duryodhana; he warns that if confronted, Duryodhana may extend his violence even to her remaining sons, so protective measures should come first.