Shloka 46
Ārjava, Satya, and the Virocana–Sudhanvan Exemplum
Udyoga-parva 35
पुनर्नरो प्रियते जायते च पुनर्नरो हीयते वर्धते च । पुनर्नरो याचति याच्यते च पुनर्नर: शोचति शोच्यते च
punar naro prīyate jāyate ca punar naro hīyate vardhate ca | punar naro yācati yācyate ca punar naraḥ śocati śocyate ca ||
Manusia berulang kali mati dan berulang kali lahir; berulang kali merosot dan berulang kali bertumbuh. Berulang kali ia meminta, dan berulang kali pula orang meminta darinya; berulang kali ia berduka bagi orang lain, dan berulang kali pula orang lain berduka baginya.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Human life moves in recurring cycles—birth and death, gain and loss, asking and being asked, grieving and being grieved for. Recognizing this impermanence supports vairagya (detachment), patience, and commitment to dharma rather than obsession with temporary outcomes.
In Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers counsel grounded in moral realism. Here he generalizes from worldly experience to remind his listener that fortunes reverse repeatedly; therefore one should act wisely and ethically, not driven by pride, fear, or attachment.