Shloka 59
Adhyaya 32: Saṃjaya’s Return, Audience with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Ethical Admonition
न्यायागतस्य द्रव्यस्य बोद्धव्यौ द्वावतिक्रमौ । अपात्रे प्रतिपत्तिश्व पात्रे चाप्रतिपादनम्,न्यायपूर्वक उपार्जित किये हुए धनके दो ही दुरुपयोग समझने चाहिये--अपात्रको देना और सत्पात्रको न देना
nyāyāgatasya dravyasya boddhavyau dvāv atikramau | apātre pratipattiś ca pātre cāpratipādanam ||
Vidura teaches that even wealth acquired by rightful means can be ethically squandered in only two fundamental ways: by giving it to the unworthy, and by failing to give it to the worthy. In other words, dharmic prosperity is preserved not merely by honest earning, but by discerning, just distribution—supporting those who deserve support and refusing to empower those who do not.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Righteously earned wealth is still subject to moral failure if it is distributed without discernment: giving to the unworthy is harmful, and withholding from the worthy is equally a misuse. Dharma requires both just acquisition and just allocation.
In the Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers counsel on dharma and statecraft (Vidura-nīti) amid rising tension before the Kurukṣetra war. Here he instructs that the ethical handling of resources depends on recognizing who is fit to receive support and ensuring that deserving persons are not neglected.