Shloka 46
Adhyaya 32: Saṃjaya’s Return, Audience with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Ethical Admonition
एक: स्वादु न भुज्जीत एकश्चार्थान् न चिन्तयेत् । एको न गच्छेदध्वानं नैक: सुप्तेषु जागूयात्
ekaḥ svādu na bhuñjīta ekaś cārthān na cintayet | eko na gacched adhvānaṃ naikaḥ supteṣu jāgūyāt ||
Vidura advises: One should not indulge alone in delicacies, should not deliberate alone on weighty matters, should not travel a road alone, and should not be the lone person awake among many who are asleep.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Avoid solitary situations that increase risk or invite wrongdoing: do not indulge alone, do not decide weighty matters alone, do not travel alone, and do not be the only one awake among sleepers. Seek companionship/witnesses, shared counsel, and safer circumstances.
In Udyoga Parva, Vidura delivers counsel (nīti) during the tense pre-war negotiations and political maneuvering. This verse is part of his practical guidance on how a wise person should behave to remain safe, above suspicion, and ethically steady.