Shloka 3

कृष्णेन विदुरं प्रति आगमन-हेतु-निवेदनम् / Krishna explains the purpose of his coming to Vidura

Devanagari script

धर्मशास्त्रातिगो मूढो दुरात्मा प्रग्रह॑ गत: । अनेय: श्रेयसां मन्दो धार्तराष्ट्रो जनार्दन,'प्रभो! मूढ़ धृतराष्ट्रपुत्र दुर्योधन धर्मशास्त्रोंकी भी आज्ञा नहीं मानता; सदा अपना ही हठ रखता है। उस दुरात्माको सन्मार्गपर ले आना असम्भव है

Transliteration

dharmaśāstrātigo mūḍho durātmā pragrahaṃ gataḥ | aneyaḥ śreyasāṃ mando dhārtarāṣṭro janārdana |

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana dit : «Ô Janārdana ! Le Dhārtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana) est égaré et d’âme mauvaise ; il a franchi les bornes des dharma-śāstras et s’est laissé saisir par l’emprise d’une volonté entêtée. Lent à choisir ce qui est réellement salutaire, il ne peut être ramené sur la voie du bien-être.»

Word by Word

धर्मशास्त्रातिगःone who transgresses the dharma-śāstras

मूढःdeluded, foolish

दुरात्माevil-souled person

प्रग्रहंrestraint; control; check

गतःgone; having come (to)

अनेयःnot to be led; unmanageable

श्रेयसाम्of beneficial (paths/things); of the good

मन्दःdull; slow-witted

धार्तराष्ट्रःthe son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana)

जनार्दनO Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa)

Dhārtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana)

dharmaśāstra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that rejecting dharma-śāstra and clinging to obstinate self-will makes a person resistant to guidance; without receptivity to śreyas (true good), ethical correction becomes nearly impossible.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana characterizes Duryodhana for Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana) as incorrigible—one who disregards dharma and cannot be steered toward a beneficial course—setting the moral tone for the failed peace efforts and the approach of war.