Shloka 27

अशोचन्‌ प्रतिकुर्वीत यदि पश्येत्‌ पराक्रमम्‌ । भैषज्यमेतदू्‌ दुःखस्य यदेतन्नानुचिन्तयेत्‌

aśocan pratikurvīta yadi paśyet parākramam | bhaiṣajyam etad duḥkhasya yad etan nānucintayet ||

Vidura advised: “One who is not overwhelmed by grief should respond fittingly when he sees the opponent’s strength and initiative. The true remedy for sorrow is this: do not keep brooding over it.”

अशोचन्they lamented / grieved
अशोचन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootशुच्
Formलङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, 3, plural
प्रतिकुर्वीतshould retaliate / should act in return
प्रतिकुर्वीत:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootप्रति + कृ
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, 3, singular
यदिif
यदि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयदि
पश्येत्should see / were to see
पश्येत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, 3, singular
पराक्रमम्valor, prowess
पराक्रमम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपराक्रम
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
भैषज्यम्medicine, remedy
भैषज्यम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभैषज्य
Formneuter, nominative, singular
एतत्this
एतत्:
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
Formneuter, nominative, singular
दुःखस्यof sorrow / of suffering
दुःखस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootदुःख
Formneuter, genitive, singular
यत्that which
यत्:
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
Formneuter, nominative, singular
एतत्this (thing)
एतत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
Formneuter, accusative, singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अनुचिन्तयेत्should not brood over / should not keep thinking of
अनुचिन्तयेत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootअनु + चिन्त्
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, 3, singular

विदुर उवाच

V
Vidura

Educational Q&A

Vidura teaches that grief becomes manageable when one stops obsessive rumination and instead responds to circumstances with steady judgment—especially when confronted with an adversary’s prowess.

In the Stree Parva’s aftermath of the Kurukṣetra war, Vidura offers counsel aimed at stabilizing minds shaken by loss: do not be consumed by lamentation; recognize realities (such as others’ strength) and act with composure.