Shloka 35
Strī Parva, Adhyāya 2 — Vidura’s Consolation on Kāla, Karma, and the Limits of Lamentation (विदुरोपदेशः)
आत्मैव ह्ात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मन: । आत्मैव हात्मन: साक्षी कृतस्यापकृतस्य च,मनुष्य आप ही अपना बन्धु है, आप ही अपना शत्रु है और आप ही अपने शुभ या अशुभ कर्मका साक्षी है
ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ | ātmaiva hy ātmanaḥ sākṣī kṛtasyāpakṛtasya ca ||
Vidura declares that a person’s own self is truly their closest ally, and the same self can become their fiercest enemy. The self alone stands as the witness to one’s deeds—both the good that upholds dharma and the harmful that violates it—so one must take responsibility for one’s conduct rather than seeking external blame or validation.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches personal moral responsibility: one’s own self determines one’s welfare or ruin, and the inner self remains the witness to both righteous and unrighteous actions. Therefore, ethical conduct and self-governance are paramount.
In the Stree Parva’s grief-stricken aftermath of the war, Vidura offers counsel that redirects attention from external enemies and circumstances to inner accountability—urging reflection on one’s own actions and their consequences.