Shloka 46

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 34 — Vidura’s Counsel on Deliberation, Speech-Discipline, and Dharmic Kingship

Devanagari script

अगारदाही गरद: कुण्डाशी सोमविक्रयी । पर्वकारश्न सूची च मित्रध्रुक्‌ पारदारिक:,घरमें आग लगानेवाला, विष देनेवाला, जारज संतानकी कमाई खानेवाला, सोमरस बेचनेवाला, शस्त्र बनानेवाला, चुगली करनेवाला, मित्रद्रोही, परस्त्रीलम्पट, गर्भकी हत्या करनेवाला, गुरुस्त्रीगामी, ब्राह्मण होकर शराब पीनेवाला, अधिक तीखे स्वभाववाला, कौएकी तरह कार्ये-कार्यँ करनेवाला, नास्तिक, वेदकी निन्दा करनेवाला, ग्रामपुरोहित, व्रात्य-, क्रूर तथा शक्तिमान्‌ होते हुए भी “मेरी रक्षा करो", इस प्रकार कहनेवाले शरणागतका जो वध करता है--ये सब-के-सब ब्रह्म-हत्यारोंके समान हैं

Transliteration

agāradāhī garadaḥ kuṇḍāśī somavikrayī | parvakāraś ca sūcī ca mitradhruk pāradārikaḥ ||

Translation

વિદુર બોલ્યા—જે પરના ઘરમાં આગ લગાવે, જે વિષ આપે, જે પરસ્ત્રી-સંબંધથી જન્મેલા સંતાનની કમાણી ખાય, જે સોમ વેચે, જે શસ્ત્ર બનાવે, જે ચુગલી કરે, જે મિત્રદ્રોહી હોય અને જે પરસ્ત્રીલંપટ હોય—આ બધા ઘોર અપરાધી ગણાય છે.

Word by Word

अगारदाहीone who sets houses on fire (arsonist)

गरदःpoisoner (one who gives poison)

कुण्डाशीone who lives by/feeds on a bastard’s earnings (base dependent)

सोमविक्रयीseller of soma (soma-trader)

पर्वकारःweapon-maker / maker of blades (lit. maker of ‘parva’)

श्नःunclear particle/reading

सूचीinformer; tale-bearer; spy (lit. ‘pointer’)

चand

मित्रध्रुक्betrayer of a friend; friend-harmer

पारदारिकःadulterer; one who goes to others’ wives

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?

Vidura classifies certain acts—arson, poisoning, betrayal, adultery, malicious informing, and harmful livelihoods—as severe ethical violations. The teaching stresses that society’s trust (home, friendship, marriage, and truthful speech) is foundational to dharma, and those who destroy it are to be regarded as gravely culpable.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vidura’s counsel (nīti) within the Udyoga Parva, he enumerates categories of condemned persons as part of a broader moral instruction to the Kuru court context, warning against associating with or excusing those whose conduct undermines social and moral order.