Shloka 67
Ārjava, Satya, and the Virocana–Sudhanvan Exemplum
Udyoga-parva 35
न मनुष्ये गुण: कश्चिद् राजन् सधनतामृते । अनातुरत्वाद् भद्रं ते मृतकल्पा हि रोगिण:,राजन्! आपका कल्याण हो, मनुष्यमें धन और आरोग्यको छोड़कर दूसरा कोई गुण नहीं है; क्योंकि रोगी तो मुर्देके समान है
na manuṣye guṇaḥ kaścid rājan sadhanatām ṛte | anāturatvād bhadraṃ te mṛtakalpā hi rogiṇaḥ ||
Vidura berkata: “Wahai Raja, semoga engkau sejahtera. Selain memiliki kekayaan dan terbebas dari penyakit, hampir tiada keunggulan lain dalam hidup manusia; sebab orang sakit sesungguhnya laksana orang mati.”
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vidura stresses a pragmatic ethical point: for a person to pursue dharma and meaningful aims, two basic supports are crucial—material means (wealth) and bodily well-being (freedom from illness). Without health, one’s agency collapses, and life becomes ‘as good as dead’ in terms of effective action.
In Udyoga Parva, Vidura counsels the king during the tense pre-war negotiations. This verse is part of Vidura’s admonitory discourse, urging the ruler to recognize practical realities of human life and governance—especially the importance of health and resources for sustaining duty and decision-making.