Shloka 8

Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 40 — Vidura’s Ethical Counsel and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Fatalistic Turn

Devanagari script

श्रीसनत्सुजात और महाराज धृतराष्ट्र वैशम्पायन उवाच चिन्तयामास विदुरस्तमृषिं शंसितव्रतम्‌ | स च तच्चिन्तितं ज्ञात्वा दर्शयामास भारत

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | cintayāmāsa viduras tam ṛṣiṁ śaṁsitavratam | sa ca tac-cintitaṁ jñātvā darśayāmāsa bhārata ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Ô roi, alors Vidura se recueillit et médita sur le sage aux vœux illustres, Sanatsujāta. Et lui, sachant qu’il était invoqué par le souvenir de Vidura, apparut devant lui, ô Bhārata.»

Word by Word

• {'vaiśampāyana uvāca': 'Vaiśampāyana said', 'cintayāmāsa': 'he reflected upon

• he called to mind', 'viduraḥ': 'Vidura (the wise counselor of the Kuru court)', 'tam': 'that (person)', 'ṛṣim': 'seer

• sage', 'śaṁsita-vratam': 'of praised/renowned vows

• one whose discipline is celebrated', 'saḥ ca': 'and he (that sage) also', 'tat-cintitam': 'that which was thought of/remembered (i.e., the act of being remembered)', 'jñātvā': 'having known

• realizing', 'darśayāmāsa': 'caused (himself) to be seen

• granted audience', 'bhārata': 'O descendant of Bharata (address to Dhṛtarāṣṭra/royal listener)'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Vidura
• Sanatsujāta
• Bhārata (address/title)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the power of disciplined remembrance and moral urgency: when a righteous counselor (Vidura) seeks higher wisdom, the sage of steadfast vows responds. It frames spiritual authority as accessible through sincerity and inner focus, especially when dharma is under threat.

What is happening in the narrative?

After events in the Kuru court intensify, Vidura mentally invokes the sage Sanatsujāta. The sage, perceiving that he is being remembered, manifests and grants direct audience—setting the stage for Sanatsujāta’s instruction.