Shloka 20

उद्योगपर्व — विदुरनीतिः (Adhyāya 37): आयुःक्षयहेतवः, नीतिसूत्राणि, बलभेदाः, पाण्डव-विग्रहदोषदर्शनम्

Devanagari script

अमात्ये हार्थलिप्सा च मन्त्ररक्षणमेव च । कृतानि सर्वकार्याणि यस्य पारिषदा विदु:

Transliteration

amātye hārthalipsā ca mantrarakṣaṇam eva ca | kṛtāni sarvakāryāṇi yasya pāriṣadā viduḥ ||

Translation

Vidura said: When a minister is free from greed for wealth and steadfast in guarding counsel, the king is understood by his advisers to have his affairs already accomplished. The lesson is that a ruler’s success rests on an incorruptible minister and disciplined protection of confidential policy.

Word by Word

• अमात्ये: in/with regard to the minister
• अमात्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अर्थलिप्सा: desire/greed for wealth
• अर्थलिप्सा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थलिप्सा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मन्त्ररक्षणम्: guarding/keeping of counsel (secrecy)
• मन्त्ररक्षणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्ररक्षण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कृतानि: done/accomplished
• कृतानि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वकार्याणि: all tasks/affairs
• सर्वकार्याणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वकार्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• यस्य: whose
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• पारिषदाः: councillors/assembly-members
• पारिषदाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारिषद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विदुः: know
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• amātya (minister)
• pāriṣadāḥ (royal councillors)
• mantra (state counsel/secret)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A kingdom’s work succeeds when ministers are free from greed and when counsel is kept confidential; integrity and secrecy in policy-making are foundational to effective and righteous governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vidura is delivering niti (practical-ethical counsel) in the Udyoga Parva, describing the qualities by which advisers recognize a capable ruler/administration—especially the presence of an uncorrupt minister and the safeguarding of political deliberations.