Shloka 19
धृतराष्ट्रस्य वंशोपदेशः
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Dynastic Counsel on Legitimate Rule
तन्मे विलपमानस्य वचन समुपेक्षसे । को<यं दुर्योधनो नाम कुले5स्मिन् कुलपांसन:
tan me vilapamānasya vacanaṃ sam-upekṣase | ko 'yaṃ duryodhano nāma kule 'smin kula-pāṃsanaḥ ||
Vidura dijo: «Aunque yo lamento para proteger a este mismo linaje, tú desoyes mis palabras. Dime: ¿quién es en verdad ese hombre llamado Duryodhana dentro de esta familia, esa vergüenza de la estirpe? Y, sin embargo, aun cuando lo domina la codicia, eliges seguir su consejo: la avaricia le ha robado el discernimiento, su mente está corrompida y se ha vuelto por completo indigno de conducta noble».
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vidura warns that ignoring righteous counsel and following a greed-driven, morally degraded leader brings ruin to the family and the kingdom. Ethical governance requires discernment (viveka) and the courage to reject adharma even when it comes from one’s own kin.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, Vidura addresses the Kaurava court (implicitly Dhṛtarāṣṭra), lamenting for the dynasty’s welfare. He rebukes the continued deference to Duryodhana, calling him a stain on the lineage and attributing his conduct to greed and corrupted judgment.