Shloka 88

Adhyaya 32: Saṃjaya’s Return, Audience with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Ethical Admonition

Devanagari script

नारीं विगतकामास्तु कृतार्थाश्व प्रयोजकम्‌ | नावं निस्तीर्णकान्तारा आतुपराश्न चिकित्सकम्‌,ये छ: प्रायः सदा अपने पूर्व उपकारीका सम्मान नहीं करते हैं--शिक्षा समाप्त हो जानेपर शिष्य आचार्यका, विवाहित बेटे माताका, कामवासनाकी शान्ति हो जानेपर पुरुष स्त्रीका, कृतकार्य मनुष्य सहायकका, नदीकी दुर्गम धारा पार कर लेनेवाले पुरुष नावका तथा रोगी पुरुष रोग छूटनेके बाद वैद्यका

Transliteration

vidura uvāca | nārīṁ vigata-kāmās tu kṛtārthāś ca prayojakam | nāvaṁ nistīrṇa-kāntārā āturāśnī cikitsakam ||

Translation

ヴィドゥラは言った。「欲が鎮まれば人は女を顧みず、目的が果たされればそれを成さしめた助け手を顧みない。危難の渡りを越えれば舟を顧みず、病が癒えれば病人は医師を顧みない。かくして多くの者は、かつて恩を施した者を敬わず、必要が去れば感謝を忘れるのだ。」

Word by Word

नारीम्a woman

विगतकामाःthose whose desire has departed

तुbut/indeed

कृतार्थाःthose who have accomplished their purpose

अश्वप्रयोजकम्a horse-driver (one who employs/urges a horse)

नावम्a boat

निस्तीर्णकान्ताराःthose who have crossed the wilderness (dangerous tract)

आतुरःa sick person

पराश्नन्eats (afterwards)/consumes

चिकित्सकम्a physician

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

woman (nārī)

helper/facilitator (prayojaka)

boat (nāva)

patient (ātura)

physician (cikitsaka)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Vidura condemns ingratitude: when need ends, people often neglect those who helped them (woman, helper, boat, physician). Dharma requires remembering and honoring benefactors even after one’s purpose is fulfilled.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vidura’s counsel (Vidura-nīti) within the Udyoga Parva, he offers ethical instruction through examples, warning that many people habitually discard relationships and supports once they have obtained satisfaction, success, safety, or health.