Shloka 21
उद्योगपर्व — विदुरनीतिः (Adhyāya 37): आयुःक्षयहेतवः, नीतिसूत्राणि, बलभेदाः, पाण्डव-विग्रहदोषदर्शनम्
धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च स राजा राजसत्तम: । गूढमन्त्रस्य नृपतेस्तस्य सिद्धिरसंशयम्
dharme cārthe ca kāme ca sa rājā rājasattamaḥ | gūḍhamantrasya nṛpates tasya siddhir asaṃśayam ||
Dijo Vidura: «Aquel rey —el mejor entre los gobernantes— que guarda en secreto su consejo alcanzará, sin duda, el éxito en el dharma, en la prosperidad y en el goce legítimo.»
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s success in the three aims of life—dharma, artha, and kāma—depends greatly on disciplined secrecy in counsel and strategy; indiscreet speech and leaked plans undermine both ethics and effective governance.
In the Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers political and ethical counsel in a tense pre-war setting; here he emphasizes that a king who guards confidential deliberations is assured of successful outcomes in policy, prosperity, and orderly enjoyment.