Shloka 286
Udyoga Parva Adhyāya 132 — Vidura’s Counsel on Udyama, Yaśas, and Kṣātra-Dharma
सर्वकामरसैहीना: स्थानभ्रष्टा अकिंचना: । तेरी कायरताके कारण हमलोग इस राज्यसे निर्वासित होनेपर सम्पूर्ण मनोवांछित सुखोंसे हीन, स्थानभ्रष्ट और अकिंचन हो जीविकाके अभावमें ही मर जायँगे
sarvakāmarasair hīnāḥ sthānabhraṣṭā akiñcanāḥ | terī kāyaratāke kāraṇa hamloga isa rājyase nirvāsita honepara sampūrṇa manovāñchita sukhom̐se hīna, sthānabhraṣṭa aura akiñcana ho jīvikāke abhāvameṃ hī mara jāyaṅge |
「正当な享楽のあらゆる『味わい』を奪われ、あるべき地位から追われ、無一物となる——お前の臆病のせいで、もし我らがこの国から追放されるなら、望む安楽はことごとく失われる。身分も手立ても剥ぎ取られ、糧を得られずにただ生きる術なく死ぬであろう。」
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses ethical responsibility in leadership and decision-making: cowardice (failure to act rightly when duty demands) can destroy not only one’s own standing but also the welfare and livelihood of dependents, leading to social and material ruin.
Vāyudeva speaks in a warning tone, describing the dire outcome if exile from the kingdom occurs: the affected people will become deprived of comforts, lose their social position, become destitute, and may even die due to lack of livelihood—placing the blame on the addressee’s cowardice.