Shloka 3
अध्याय ६६: पुनर्द्यूत-प्रस्तावः
Proposal for a Renewed Dice Game
विदुर बोले--ओ मूर्ख! तेरे-जैसे नीचके मुखसे ही ऐसा दुर्वचन निकल सकता है। अरे! तू कालपाशसे बँँधा हुआ है, इसीलिये कुछ समझ नहीं पाता। तू ऐसे ऊँचे स्थानमें लटक रहा है जहाँसे गिरकर प्राण जानेमें अधिक विलम्ब नहीं; किंतु तुझे इस बातका पता नहीं है। तू एक साधारण मृग होकर व्याप्रोंको अत्यन्त क़ुद्ध कर रहा है ।। आशीविषास्ते शिरसि पूर्णकोपा महाविषा: | मा कोपिष्ठा: सुमन्दात्मन् मा गमस्त्वं यमक्षयम्,मन्दात्मन्! तेरे सिरपर कोपमें भरे हुए महान् विषधर सर्प चढ़ आये हैं। तू उनका क्रोध न बढ़ा, यमलोकमें जानेको उद्यत न हो
vidura uvāca—aho mūḍha, tvādṛśasya nīcasya mukhād evaṃ durvacanaṃ niṣkrāmati. kālapāśabaddho ’si, tasmāt kiṃcid api na budhyase. tvam uccasthāne lambamānaḥ, yasmāt patitvā prāṇanāśe na ciram; etad api na jānāsi. tvam alpo mṛga iva vyāghrān atīva krodhayasi. āśīviṣās te śirasi pūrṇakopā mahāviṣāḥ; mā kopiṣṭhāḥ, sumandātman, mā gamas tvaṃ yamakṣayam.
Vidura said: “You fool—only a base man like you could utter such vile words. You are bound in the noose of Time; that is why you understand nothing. You hang from a lofty height, from which a fall would cost you your life without much delay—yet you do not perceive it. Like a petty deer, you are provoking enraged tigers. Deadly, highly venomous serpents, their wrath fully roused, have climbed upon your head; do not inflame their anger further, dull-witted one—do not rush toward the abode of Yama (death).”
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vidura warns that abusive speech and arrogance invite swift ruin: Time already binds the offender, and provoking stronger forces (symbolized by tigers and venomous serpents) hastens one’s fall into death. Ethical restraint in speech and awareness of consequences are central.
In the royal assembly context, Vidura rebukes a speaker who has uttered insulting words. Using vivid metaphors—hanging from a height, a deer provoking tigers, serpents on the head—he cautions that the person is courting immediate destruction and should stop escalating hostility.