Shloka 106
Adhyaya 32: Saṃjaya’s Return, Audience with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Ethical Admonition
सुदुर्बल॑ नावजानाति कंचिद् युक्तो रिपुं सेवते बुद्धिपूर्वम् । न विग्रहं रोचयते बलस्थै: काले च यो विक्रमते स धीर:
sudurbalo nāvajānāti kañcid yukto ripuṁ sevate buddhipūrvam | na vigrahaṁ rocayate balasthaiḥ kāle ca yo vikramate sa dhīraḥ ||
Vidura says: “The truly steadfast person does not despise anyone for being weak. Remaining alert and self-possessed, he deals with an enemy with deliberate intelligence. He does not relish quarrel with those who stand in strength, yet when the right time arrives, he displays valor—such a one is rightly called a dhīra, a composed and discerning man.”
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Strength is not a license for contempt. A dhīra combines humility toward the weak, intelligent and cautious engagement with enemies, avoidance of needless clashes with the powerful, and decisive courage when the proper time demands action.
In Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers counsel on conduct and policy amid rising tensions before the great war. This verse defines the qualities of a truly steady and wise person—one fit for difficult political and ethical circumstances.