Shloka 13

उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय २५: संजयदूतवाक्यम्

Sañjaya’s Envoy-Speech on Peace

Devanagari script

मेधाविन हार्थकामं कुरूणां बहुश्रुतं वाग्मिनं शीलवन्तम्‌ । स तं राजा धृतराष्ट्र: कुरुभ्यो न सस्मार विदुरं पुत्रकाम्यात्‌

Transliteration

medhāvinaṃ hy arthakāmaṃ kurūṇāṃ bahuśrutaṃ vāgminaṃ śīlavantam | sa taṃ rājā dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ kurubhyo na sasmāra viduraṃ putrakāmyāt ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Vidura was intelligent, devoted to the Kurus’ true welfare, widely learned, eloquent, and of exemplary conduct. Yet King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, driven by longing for his sons and the desire to secure what the Kauravas wished for, failed to heed and honor Vidura for the good of the Kuru house.

Word by Word

• {'medhāvinam': 'intelligent, discerning', 'hi': 'indeed, for', 'artha-kāmam': 'one who seeks/aims at artha (practical good, polity, welfare)

• also one intent on beneficial ends', 'kurūṇām': 'of the Kurus (the Kuru dynasty/house)', 'bahuśrutam': 'much-heard

• widely learned, well-versed in tradition', 'vāgminam': 'eloquent, skilled in speech', 'śīlavantam': 'virtuous, of good character and conduct', 'sa': 'he (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)', 'tam': 'him (Vidura)', 'rājā': 'the king', 'dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ': 'Dhṛtarāṣṭra', 'kurubhyaḥ': 'for the Kurus

• for the Kuru people/house', 'na sasmāra': 'did not remember/heed

• did not take to heart', 'viduram': 'Vidura', 'putrakāmyāt': 'from desire/longing for sons

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Vidura
• Kurus
• Kauravas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the best counsel—wise, learned, eloquent, and ethical—becomes ineffective when a ruler is blinded by attachment. Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s putra-sneha (clinging to his sons) overrides dharma and the long-term welfare of the Kuru house.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Vidura’s qualifications and goodwill toward the Kurus, then notes that Dhṛtarāṣṭra, motivated by desire for his sons’ success and partiality toward the Kauravas, does not properly heed or honor Vidura’s advice meant for the dynasty’s benefit.