Shloka 103

समन्तपञ्चक-आख्यानम् तथा अक्षौहिणी-प्रमाणनिर्णयः

Samantapañcaka Narrative and the Measure of an Akṣauhiṇī

Devanagari script

हितोपदेशश्न पथि धर्मराजस्य धीमत: । विदुरेण कृतो यत्र हितार्थ म्लेच्छभाषया,लाक्षागृहदाहपर्वमें पाण्डवोंकी वारणावत-यात्राके प्रसंगमें दुर्योधनके गुप्त षड़्यन्त्रका वर्णन है। उसका पाण्डवोंके पास कूटनीतिज्ञ पुरोचनको भेजनेका भी प्रसंग है। मार्गमें विदुरजीने बुद्धिमान्‌ युधिष्ठिरके हितके लिये म्लेच्छभाषामें जो हितोपदेश किया, उसका भी वर्णन है

Transliteration

hitopadeśaś ca pathi dharmarājasya dhīmataḥ | vidureṇa kṛto yatra hitārthaṃ mlecchabhāṣayā |

Translation

On the journey, Vidura—seeking the welfare of the wise Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)—delivered a beneficial counsel in a coded ‘mleccha’ speech. This occurs in the context of the Lac House episode, where Duryodhana’s secret plot at Vāraṇāvata is set in motion and the crafty agent Purocana is dispatched; Vidura’s veiled advice serves as an ethical and practical warning to protect the Pāṇḍavas from treachery.

Word by Word

• {'hitopadeśaḥ': 'wholesome counsel

• beneficial instruction', 'pathi': 'on the road

• during the journey', 'dharmarājasya': 'of Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira), the king devoted to dharma', 'dhīmataḥ': 'of the intelligent/wise one', 'vidureṇa': 'by Vidura', 'kṛtaḥ': 'done

• composed', 'yatra': 'where

• in which context', 'hitārtham': 'for the sake of welfare

• with beneficial purpose', 'mlecchabhāṣayā': 'in ‘mleccha’ speech—nonstandard/foreign or coded language used to conceal meaning'}

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Duryodhana
• Purocana
• Pāṇḍavas
• Vāraṇāvata
• Lākṣāgṛha (lac house)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Wise counsel may need to be delivered indirectly when open speech is dangerous; protecting dharma and the vulnerable can require prudence, secrecy, and timely warning against deceit.

What is happening in the narrative?

As Duryodhana’s covert plan to destroy the Pāṇḍavas via the lac house at Vāraṇāvata unfolds and Purocana is sent as the agent, Vidura warns Yudhiṣṭhira on the journey using coded ‘mleccha’ language so the message is not understood by hostile listeners.