Shloka 4

विदुर उवाच उपमानमिदं राजन्‌ मोक्षविद्धिरुदाह्तम्‌ । सुकृतं विन्दते येन परलोकेषु मानव:

vidura uvāca upamānam idaṁ rājan mokṣa-vidhir udāhṛtam | sukṛtaṁ vindate yena paralokeṣu mānavaḥ ||

Vidura said: “O King, this is an illustrative comparison, set forth to explain the method that leads to liberation. By following it, a person gains the fruit of righteous merit in the worlds beyond.”

विदुरःVidura
विदुरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootविदुर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular
उपमानम्comparison; simile; example
उपमानम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootउपमान
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
इदम्this
इदम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
मोक्षविद्धिःthe doctrine/knowledge of liberation
मोक्षविद्धिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमोक्षविद्धि
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
उदाहृतम्has been stated; has been cited
उदाहृतम्:
TypeVerb
Rootउद्-आ-हृ
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
सुकृतम्merit; good deed
सुकृतम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसुकृत
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
विन्दतेfinds; obtains
विन्दते:
TypeVerb
Rootविद्
FormPresent, Third, Singular
येनby which; through which
येन:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
परलोकेषुin the other worlds; in the hereafter
परलोकेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootपरलोक
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
मानवःa man; human being
मानवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमानव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

विदुर उवाच

V
Vidura
T
the King (rājan)

Educational Q&A

Vidura frames his counsel as an upamāna (analogy) meant to clarify mokṣa-vidhi—the practical discipline leading toward liberation—while also emphasizing that such right conduct yields sukṛta (merit) that bears fruit in the hereafter.

In the Stree Parva’s grief-filled aftermath of the war, Vidura addresses the king and introduces an instructive comparison, preparing to explain a path of ethical and spiritual practice that can guide a person beyond sorrow toward higher good and ultimate release.