Shloka 25

ज्ञातयस्तारयन्तीह ज्ञातयो मज्जयन्ति च | सुवृत्तास्तारयन्तीह दुर्वत्ता मज्जयन्ति च,इस जगत्‌में जाति-भाई ही तारते और जाति-भाई ही डुबाते भी हैं। उनमें जो सदाचारी हैं, वे तो तारते हैं और दुराचारी डुबा देते हैं

jñātayas tārayantīha jñātayo majjayanti ca | suvṛttās tārayantīha durvattā majjayanti ca ||

Vidura dit : En ce monde, ce sont ses propres parents qui peuvent faire traverser sain et sauf—et ce sont ces mêmes parents qui peuvent aussi faire sombrer. Les proches de bonne conduite deviennent un appui salvateur ; ceux de conduite corrompue deviennent cause de ruine.

ज्ञातयःkinsmen/relatives
ज्ञातयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootज्ञाति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तारयन्तिthey save/bring across
तारयन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootतॄ
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada, Active
इहhere/in this world
इह:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह
ज्ञातयःkinsmen/relatives
ज्ञातयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootज्ञाति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
मज्जयन्तिthey cause to sink/drown
मज्जयन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootमज्ज्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada, Causative (ṇij), Active
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
सुवृत्ताःwell-conducted/virtuous (persons)
सुवृत्ताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसुवृत्त
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तारयन्तिthey save/bring across
तारयन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootतॄ
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada, Active
इहhere/in this world
इह:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह
दुर्वत्ताःill-conducted/vicious (persons)
दुर्वत्ताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootदुर्वृत्त
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
मज्जयन्तिthey cause to sink/drown
मज्जयन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootमज्ज्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada, Causative (ṇij), Active
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root

विदुर उवाच

V
Vidura
K
kinsmen/relatives (jñātayaḥ)

Educational Q&A

Family ties are powerful but morally neutral: the same circle of relatives can become one’s protection or one’s downfall. Therefore, the decisive factor is character—virtuous conduct uplifts, corrupt conduct destroys.

In the Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers ethical counsel during the tense pre-war negotiations. He warns that the fate of a person (and a dynasty) is shaped by the conduct of its own members—good relatives support and rescue, while wicked relatives drag one into disaster.