Shloka 84
Adhyaya 32: Saṃjaya’s Return, Audience with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Ethical Admonition
षडिमे षट्सु जीवन्ति सप्तमो नोपलभ्यते । चौरा: प्रमत्ते जीवन्ति व्याधितेषु चिकित्सका:
ṣaḍ ime ṣaṭsu jīvanti saptamo nopalabhyate | caurāḥ pramatte jīvanti vyādhiteṣu cikitsakāḥ ||
Vidura observes that six kinds of people make their living off six kinds of vulnerable situations, while a seventh is not to be found. Thieves thrive when people are careless; physicians thrive when people are afflicted by disease. The saying points to how negligence and suffering become opportunities for others, and urges vigilance and responsible conduct.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Negligence and suffering create openings that others can exploit or benefit from; therefore one should cultivate alertness, self-control, and timely care so that harm (like theft) is prevented and distress is minimized.
In Vidura’s counsel during the Udyoga Parva, he offers nīti-style observations about society and conduct. Here he illustrates, through examples of thieves and physicians, how certain professions or actors ‘live’ off particular conditions, warning the listener to avoid carelessness and to recognize the dynamics of vulnerability.