Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

इज्याध्ययनदानानि तप: सत्य॑ क्षमा घृणा । अलोभ इति मार्गो<यं धर्मस्याष्टविध: स्मृत:,यज्ञ, अध्ययन, दान, तप, सत्य, क्षमा, दया और निर्लेभता--ये धर्मके आठ प्रकारके मार्ग बताये गये हैं

Transliteration

ijyādhyayanadānāni tapaḥ satyaṁ kṣamā ghṛṇā | alobha iti mārgo 'yaṁ dharmasyāṣṭavidhaḥ smṛtaḥ ||

Translation

Sacrificial worship, study, giving, austerity, truth, forgiveness, compassionate non-cruelty, and freedom from greed—this is remembered as the eightfold path of dharma.

Word by Word

इज्याworship/sacrifice (ritual honoring)

अध्ययनstudy (of the Veda/śāstra)

दानानिgifts/charities

तपःausterity/penance

सत्यtruthfulness

क्षमाforbearance/forgiveness

घृणाcompassion/mercy (non-cruelty)

अलोभःnon-greed

इतिthus

मार्गःpath/way

अयम्this

धर्मस्यof dharma

अष्टविधःeightfold

स्मृतःis remembered/considered

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

Dharma

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?

Dharma is an integrated eightfold discipline: reverent worship, learning, generosity, austerity, truth, forgiveness, compassion/non-cruelty, and non-greed. Vidura emphasizes inner restraint and benevolence as the foundation of righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s counsel setting, Vidura instructs on righteous living and statecraft ethics as the Kurus move toward conflict, outlining the virtues that should guide decisions and curb destructive impulses.