Shloka 34

धृतराष्ट्रस्य वंशोपदेशः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Dynastic Counsel on Legitimate Rule

Devanagari script

यद्‌ वै ब्रूते कुरुमुख्यो महात्मा देवव्रत: सत्यसंधो मनीषी । सर्व तदस्माभिरहत्य कार्य राज्यं स्वधर्मान्‌ परिपालयद्धिः

Transliteration

yad vai brūte kurumukhyo mahātmā devavrataḥ satyasaṃdho manīṣī | sarvaṃ tad asmābhir ahatya kāryaṃ rājyaṃ svadharmān paripālayadbhīḥ ||

Translation

Vidura dijo: «Cuanto declare el más eminente de los Kurus—Devavrata (Bhīṣma), magnánimo, fiel a la verdad y sabio—debe ser aceptado por todos nosotros íntegramente, sin recortes ni contradicción, pues se nos ha encomendado salvaguardar el reino y sostener nuestro propio dharma.»

Word by Word

• {'yad vai': 'indeed whatever', 'brūte': 'says, declares', 'kurumukhyaḥ': 'the foremost among the Kurus', 'mahātmā': 'great-souled, noble-minded', 'devavrataḥ': 'Devavrata (Bhīṣma)', 'satyasaṃdhaḥ': 'firm in truth, true to his vow', 'manīṣī': 'wise, discerning', 'sarvam tat': 'all that', 'asmābhiḥ': 'by us', 'ahatya': 'without striking down

• idiomatically, without cutting/altering, without rejecting', 'kāryam': 'should be done

• ought to be carried out', 'rājyam': 'the kingdom, governance', 'svadharmān': 'one’s own duties according to dharma', 'paripālayadbhīḥ': 'by those who are protecting/maintaining'}

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Devavrata (Bhishma)
• Kuru dynasty

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Those responsible for protecting the realm and upholding dharma should heed the counsel of a proven, truth-bound elder (Bhishma/Devavrata) without distorting it for convenience; ethical governance depends on faithful acceptance of wise guidance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the tense pre-war deliberations of the Udyoga Parva, Vidura urges the Kuru leadership to accept Bhishma’s words completely, emphasizing Bhishma’s authority, integrity, and wisdom as essential for preserving the kingdom and rightful duty.