Shloka 63

Vidura-nīti: Atithi-dharma, Trust, Counsel-Secrecy, and Traits of Sustainable Rule

Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 38

Devanagari script

अत्यार्यमतिदातारमतिशूरमतिव्रतम्‌ । प्रज्ञाभिमानिनं चैव श्रीर्भयान्नोपसर्पति

Transliteration

atyāryam atidātāram atiśūram ativratam | prajñābhimāninaṃ caiva śrīr bhayān nopasarpati ||

Translation

Vidura says: Even if a man is exceedingly noble, extraordinarily generous, very heroic, and strict in vows and disciplines, if he is intoxicated with pride in his own intellect, prosperity (Śrī) does not approach him—she keeps away out of fear. The teaching warns that virtue and capability, when joined to arrogance, repel lasting fortune and stability.

Word by Word

• अति-आर्य-मत्: very noble-minded
• अति-आर्य-मत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्यार्यमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अति-दाता-रम्: very generous giver
• अति-दाता-रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिदातार् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अति-शूर-म्: very heroic
• अति-शूर-म्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिशूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अति-व्रत-म्: very strict in vows/observances
• अति-व्रत-म्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रज्ञा-अभिमानिनम्: one who is proud of (his) intellect
• प्रज्ञा-अभिमानिनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रज्ञाभिमानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

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

• श्रीः: Fortune/Prosperity (Lakṣmī)
• श्रीः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भयात्: from fear/out of fear
• भयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• उपसर्पति: approaches/comes near
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-सृप् (धातु)
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Śrī (Lakṣmī/prosperity)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Pride in one’s own intelligence undermines even great virtues like generosity, heroism, and austerity; lasting prosperity avoids the arrogant. The verse promotes humility as the safeguard that allows merit to bear stable fruit.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura delivers moral counsel (nīti) in the tense lead-up to war, warning the Kuru court about character flaws that bring ruin. Here he cautions that intellectual arrogance repels Śrī—symbolizing fortune, stability, and auspicious success.