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
તે અપવાદ (નિંદા) મેળવવા માટે જ પ્રયત્ન કરે છે અને ક્ષય માટે જ ઉદ્યમ આરંભે છે.
Word by Word
यततेstrives, makes effort
यतते:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootयत् (धातु)
Formलट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथम, एकवचन
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
अपवादायfor censure/blame (for reproach)
अपवादाय:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootअपवाद
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन
यत्नम्effort
यत्नम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootयत्न
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
आरभतेundertakes, begins
आरभते:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootरभ् (धातु) उपसर्ग: आ-
Formलट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथम, एकवचन
क्षयेin/at (the time of) destruction/decline
क्षये:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootक्षय
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
Speaker
विदुर उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
ViduraCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
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.
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.