Shloka 77

उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय 33: धृतराष्ट्र-विदुर संवादः (विदुरनीतिः)

Devanagari script

अभ्यावहति कल्याणं विविधं वाक्‌ सुभाषिता | सैव दुर्भाषिता राजन्ननर्थायोपपद्यते,राजन! मधुर शब्दोंमें कही हुई बात अनेक प्रकारसे कल्याण करती है; किंतु वही यदि कट शब्दोंमें कही जाय तो महान्‌ अनर्थका कारण बन जाती है

Transliteration

abhyāvahati kalyāṇaṃ vividhaṃ vāk subhāṣitā | saiva durbhāṣitā rājann anarthāyopapadyate ||

Translation

Vidura said: “O King, speech that is well-spoken brings many kinds of welfare and benefit. But that very same message, when expressed in harsh and ill-chosen words, becomes a cause of great harm.”

Word by Word

अभ्यावहतिbrings about, produces

कल्याणम्welfare, good

विविधम्various, manifold

वाक्speech, utterance

सुभाषिताwell-spoken

साthat (same)

एवindeed, just

दुर्भाषिताill-spoken, harshly spoken

राजन्O king

अनर्थायfor harm, for misfortune

उपपद्यतेresults, turns into, becomes applicable

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

King (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

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 ethical force of a message depends not only on its content but on its manner of expression: gentle, well-chosen words can bring welfare, while the same truth delivered harshly can provoke injury, resentment, and ruin.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura is advising the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) during the tense pre-war negotiations, emphasizing prudent, dharmic communication so that counsel and diplomacy do not turn into conflict through abrasive speech.