Shloka 15

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

Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 38

Devanagari script

यतते चापवादाय यत्नमारभते क्षये

Transliteration

yatate cāpavādāya yatnam ārabhate kṣaye

Translation

Vidura dit : «L’homme s’acharne à attirer le blâme et n’entreprend d’efforts que vers la ruine.» Dans l’éthique de son enseignement, ce vers condamne l’ambition qui se détruit elle-même : des actes issus d’un jugement faussé, qui appellent la réprobation publique et s’achèvent dans la perte plutôt que dans le bien.

Word by Word

यततेstrives, makes effort

चand

अपवादायfor censure/blame (for reproach)

यत्नम्effort

आरभतेundertakes, begins

क्षयेin/at (the time of) destruction/decline

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?

Actions pursued with misguided intent often lead to two outcomes: social reproach (apavāda) and personal ruin (kṣaya). Vidura warns that wise effort should aim at welfare and dharma, not at courses that predictably end in disgrace and loss.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura delivers moral and political counsel (Vidura-nīti) during the tense pre-war negotiations. This verse is part of his admonition against reckless, unrighteous policy that damages one’s reputation and brings destruction.