Shloka 286
Udyoga Parva Adhyāya 132 — Vidura’s Counsel on Udyama, Yaśas, and Kṣātra-Dharma
सर्वकामरसैहीना: स्थानभ्रष्टा अकिंचना: । तेरी कायरताके कारण हमलोग इस राज्यसे निर्वासित होनेपर सम्पूर्ण मनोवांछित सुखोंसे हीन, स्थानभ्रष्ट और अकिंचन हो जीविकाके अभावमें ही मर जायँगे
sarvakāmarasair hīnāḥ sthānabhraṣṭā akiñcanāḥ | terī kāyaratāke kāraṇa hamloga isa rājyase nirvāsita honepara sampūrṇa manovāñchita sukhom̐se hīna, sthānabhraṣṭa aura akiñcana ho jīvikāke abhāvameṃ hī mara jāyaṅge |
“Deprived of all the ‘flavours’ of rightful enjoyments, driven from our proper station, and left without any possessions—because of your cowardice, if we are exiled from this kingdom, we shall lose every desired comfort and, stripped of status and means, will perish simply for lack of livelihood.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses ethical responsibility in leadership and decision-making: cowardice (failure to act rightly when duty demands) can destroy not only one’s own standing but also the welfare and livelihood of dependents, leading to social and material ruin.
Vāyudeva speaks in a warning tone, describing the dire outcome if exile from the kingdom occurs: the affected people will become deprived of comforts, lose their social position, become destitute, and may even die due to lack of livelihood—placing the blame on the addressee’s cowardice.