Shloka 21

धृतराष्ट्रस्य वंशोपदेशः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Dynastic Counsel on Legitimate Rule

Devanagari script

अतिक्रामति य: शास्त्र पितुर्धर्मार्थदर्शिन: । एते नश्यन्ति कुरवो दुर्योधनकृतेन वै,यह शास्त्रकी आज्ञाका तो उल्लंघन करता ही है। धर्म और अर्थपर दृष्टि रखनेवाले अपने पिताकी भी बात नहीं मानता है। निश्चय ही एकमात्र दुर्योधनके कारण ये समस्त कौरव नष्ट हो रहे हैं

Transliteration

atikrāmati yaḥ śāstraṁ pitur dharmārthadarśinaḥ | ete naśyanti kuravo duryodhanakṛtena vai ||

Translation

Vidura says: He who oversteps the injunctions of śāstra and refuses to heed even his father—who sees clearly what is dharma and what serves true welfare—becomes the cause of ruin. Indeed, it is solely because of Duryodhana’s conduct that the Kauravas are being destroyed.

Word by Word

अतिक्रामतिtransgresses, oversteps

यःwho

शास्त्रम्scriptural injunction, law

पितुःof (his) father

धर्मार्थदर्शिनःof the one who sees (what is) dharma and artha

एतेthese

नश्यन्तिperish, are destroyed

कुरवःthe Kurus (Kauravas)

दुर्योधनकृतेनbecause of Duryodhana (lit. by what is done/caused by Duryodhana)

वैindeed, surely

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

Duryodhana

Kauravas (Kuravas)

father (Dhṛtarāṣṭra, implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Disregard for śāstra and contempt for wise parental counsel—especially from one who understands dharma and true welfare—leads not only to personal fault but to collective ruin; a leader’s adharma can destroy an entire clan.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura warns the Kuru king (implicitly Dhṛtarāṣṭra) that Duryodhana’s stubborn rejection of ethical law and counsel is driving the Kauravas toward inevitable destruction, foreshadowing the coming war.