Shloka 53

Devanagari script

ऐश्वर्यमदपापिष्ठा मदा: पानमदादय: । ऐश्वर्यमदमत्तो हि नापतित्वा विबुध्यते,यों तो (मादक वस्तुओंके) पीनेका नशा आदि भी नशा ही है, किंतु ऐश्वर्यका नशा तो बहुत ही बुरा है; क्योंकि ऐश्वर्यके मदसे मतवाला पुरुष भ्रष्ट हुए बिना होशमें नहीं आता

Transliteration

aiśvaryamada-pāpiṣṭhā madāḥ pānamadādayaḥ | aiśvaryamada-matto hi nāpatitvā vibudhyate ||

Translation

Vidura said: “Among all forms of intoxication—such as the drunkenness that comes from drinking—none is more sinful than the intoxication of power and prosperity. For a man made reckless by the pride of sovereignty does not come to his senses until he has fallen into ruin.”

Word by Word

ऐश्वर्य-मद-पापिष्ठाःmost sinful due to the intoxication of power/sovereignty

मदाःintoxications, prides

पान-मद-आदयःthe intoxication of drinking and the like

ऐश्वर्य-मद-मत्तःone intoxicated by power/sovereignty

हिindeed, for

नnot

आपतित्वाhaving fallen into (misfortune), having come to ruin

विबुध्यतेcomes to his senses, realizes

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The most dangerous intoxication is not wine but the pride born of power and prosperity; it blinds judgment so thoroughly that a person often understands only after suffering a downfall.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura delivers moral counsel (nīti) meant to restrain destructive choices; here he warns that royal power can intoxicate and lead to ruin unless checked by humility and discernment.