Shloka 42

Adhyaya 32: Saṃjaya’s Return, Audience with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Ethical Admonition

Devanagari script

एक: पापानि कुरुते फल भुड्क्ते महाजन: । भोक्तारो विप्रमुच्यन्ते कर्ता दोषेण लिप्यते,मनुष्य अकेला पाप कर (-के धन कमा)-ता है और (उस धनका) उपभोग बहुत-से लोग करते हैं। उपभोग करनेवाले तो दोषसे छूट जाते हैं, पर उसका कर्ता दोषका भागी होता है

Transliteration

ekaḥ pāpāni kurute phalaṁ bhuṅkte mahājanaḥ | bhoktāro vipramucyante kartā doṣeṇa lipyate ||

Translation

Vidura dit : Un seul commet le péché, mais beaucoup jouissent du fruit. Ceux qui ne font que prendre part au gain peuvent échapper au blâme ; mais celui qui accomplit le forfait demeure souillé par la faute.

Word by Word

एकःone (person), alone

पापानिsins, evil deeds

कुरुतेdoes, commits

फलम्fruit, result

भुङ्क्तेenjoys, consumes

महाजनःthe multitude, many people

भोक्तारःenjoyers, consumers

विप्रमुच्यन्तेare completely released (from blame)

कर्त्ताthe doer, agent

दोषेणby/with fault, through guilt

लिप्यतेis tainted, is smeared (with blame)

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Moral accountability primarily adheres to the agent who commits the wrongful act. Even if many people benefit from the results, the doer is the one who becomes ethically tainted; sharing the gains does not erase the doer’s culpability.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers pointed ethical counsel amid rising political tension and impending war. This verse functions as a warning against acquiring wealth or advantage through adharma: the perpetrator bears the blame even if others later enjoy the proceeds.