Shloka 18
Āśvamedhika-parva Adhyāya 1 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament by the Gaṅgā and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel
एवं ब्रुवति कौन्तेय विदुरे दीर्घदर्शिनि । दुर्योधनमहं पापमन्ववर्त वृथामति:,“कुन्तीनन्दन! दूरदर्शी विदुरके ऐसा कहनेपर भी मैंने पापी दुर्योधनका ही अनुसरण किया। मेरी बुद्धि निरर्थक हो गयी थी
evaṁ bruvati kaunteya vidure dīrghadarśini | duryodhanam ahaṁ pāpam anvavarta vṛthāmatiḥ ||
वैशम्पायन बोले—कुन्तीनन्दन! दूरदर्शी विदुर के ऐसा कहने पर भी मेरी बुद्धि व्यर्थ हो गई थी और मैं पापी दुर्योधन का ही अनुसरण करता रहा।
वैशमग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even clear, wise counsel (Vidura’s long-sighted guidance) becomes fruitless if one’s intellect is clouded by attachment and wrong allegiance; following adharma leads to moral failure and later remorse.
The speaker confesses to a Pāṇḍava addressed as ‘Kaunteya’ that, despite Vidura’s prudent words, he continued to side with Duryodhana; his mind had become ‘vṛthā’—ineffective and misguided.