Shloka 48
हंस–साध्यसंवादः, वाक्-निग्रहः, महाकुल-लक्षणम्, शान्ति-उपायः
Hamsa–Sādhya Dialogue; Restraint of Speech; Marks of Noble Lineage; Means to Peace
अर्थसिद्धि परामिच्छन् धर्ममेवादितकश्चरेत् । न हि धर्मादपैत्यर्थ: स्वर्गलोकादिवामृतम्
arthasiddhiṁ parām icchan dharmam evādītaś caret | na hi dharmād apaiti arthaḥ svargalokād ivāmṛtam ||
Barangsiapa menghendaki kesempurnaan tertinggi dalam keberhasilan duniawi, hendaknya terlebih dahulu menapaki dharma semata. Sebab artha (kekayaan/kemakmuran) tidak berpisah dari dharma—sebagaimana amerta tidak terpisah dari alam surga.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vidura teaches that lasting prosperity (artha) is grounded in dharma: one should begin with righteous conduct, because true success is not separable from moral order—just as amṛta is inseparable from svarga in the traditional imagination.
In Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers counsel in a tense pre-war context, urging that policy and personal aims be anchored in dharma; he frames ethical conduct as the reliable means to secure legitimate welfare and stability.