Shloka 48

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 34 — Vidura’s Counsel on Deliberation, Speech-Discipline, and Dharmic Kingship

Devanagari script

ख्रुवप्रग्रहणो व्रात्य: कीनाशश्नात्मवानपि । रक्षेत्युक्तश्न यो हिंस्यात्‌ सर्वे ब्रह्मृहभि: समा:,घरमें आग लगानेवाला, विष देनेवाला, जारज संतानकी कमाई खानेवाला, सोमरस बेचनेवाला, शस्त्र बनानेवाला, चुगली करनेवाला, मित्रद्रोही, परस्त्रीलम्पट, गर्भकी हत्या करनेवाला, गुरुस्त्रीगामी, ब्राह्मण होकर शराब पीनेवाला, अधिक तीखे स्वभाववाला, कौएकी तरह कार्ये-कार्यँ करनेवाला, नास्तिक, वेदकी निन्दा करनेवाला, ग्रामपुरोहित, व्रात्य-, क्रूर तथा शक्तिमान्‌ होते हुए भी “मेरी रक्षा करो", इस प्रकार कहनेवाले शरणागतका जो वध करता है--ये सब-के-सब ब्रह्म-हत्यारोंके समान हैं

Transliteration

dhruva-pragrahaṇo vrātyaḥ kīnāśaś ca ātmavān api | rakṣety uktaḥ śaraṇāgataṃ yo hiṃsyāt sarve brahma-ghnibhiḥ samāḥ ||

Translation

Vidura declares that even an outcaste, a peasant, or a powerful man—if he comes seeking refuge and says, “Protect me”—must not be harmed. Whoever injures or kills such a supplicant is to be regarded as equal to a slayer of a brāhmaṇa.

Word by Word

ध्रुवप्रग्रहणःone who holds fast to a fixed resolve / obstinate holder

व्रात्यःoutcaste; one outside Vedic rites

कीनाशःploughman; peasant

श्नात्मवान्possessing strength/energy (powerful)

अपिeven; also

रक्षprotect (me)!

इतिthus

उक्तःhaving been said / uttered

यःwho (he who)

हिंस्यात्would harm / would kill

सर्वेall

ब्रह्महभिःby/with Brahmin-slayers (brahma-killers)

समाःequal (to); comparable

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

śaraṇāgata (the refugee/suppliant)

vrātya

kīnāśa

brahma-ghnin (brahmin-slayer)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Protecting a śaraṇāgata (one who seeks refuge) is a paramount duty. Harming a person who has surrendered and asked for protection is treated as a crime as grave as brahmahatyā, regardless of the supplicant’s social status or personal qualities.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva, Vidura instructs the Kuru court on righteous conduct amid rising conflict. Here he emphasizes the inviolability of asylum: even if the person seeking protection is socially marginal or personally formidable, the protector must not betray that plea.