Shloka 20
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय 33: धृतराष्ट्र-विदुर संवादः (विदुरनीतिः)
अनारशभ्या भवन्त्यर्था: केचिन्नित्यं तथागता: । कृत: पुरुषकारो हि भवेद् येषु निरर्थक:,कुछ ऐसे व्यर्थ कार्य हैं, जो नित्य अप्राप्त होनेके कारण आरम्भ करनेयोग्य नहीं होते; क्योंकि उनके लिये किया हुआ पुरुषार्थ भी व्यर्थ हो जाता है
anāraśabhyā bhavanty arthāḥ kecin nityaṃ tathāgatāḥ | kṛtaḥ puruṣakāro hi bhaved yeṣu nirarthakaḥ ||
Vidura says: Some aims are, by their very nature, unattainable at all times; therefore they are not fit to be undertaken. For in such cases, even earnest human effort—though sincerely applied—ends up fruitless. The wise, discerning what can and cannot be achieved, do not squander resolve on what yields no real good.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Discernment (viveka) in choosing goals: do not invest effort in aims that are inherently unattainable, because even sincere exertion becomes futile; wise action begins with judging feasibility and meaningful outcome.
In Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers Nīti-style counsel during the tense pre-war negotiations, urging clear judgment and restraint; here he emphasizes that some undertakings are pointless by nature and should be avoided.