Shloka 69
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 34 — Vidura’s Counsel on Deliberation, Speech-Discipline, and Dharmic Kingship
जीर्णमन्नं प्रशंसन्ति भार्या च गतयौवनाम् । शूरं विजितसंग्रामं गतपारं तपस्विनम्,सज्जन पुरुष पच जानेपर अन्नकी, (निष्कलंक) यौवन बीत जानेपर स्त्रीकी, संग्राम जीत लेनेपर शूरकी और संसारसागरको पार कर लेनेपर तपस्वीकी प्रशंसा करते हैं
jīrṇam annaṁ praśaṁsanti bhāryāṁ ca gatayauvanām | śūraṁ vijitasaṅgrāmaṁ gatapāraṁ tapasvinam ||
ヴィドゥラは世の常を見抜く。人は食を褒めるのはそれが古びてから、妻を褒めるのは若さが過ぎてから、勇士を褒めるのは戦に勝ち終えてから、そして苦行者を褒めるのは彼が彼岸に渡りきってから——すなわち生と戒律の苛烈な行路を成し遂げてからである。ここにある倫理の刺は、社会がしばしば有用さや美や闘いが過去となってから名誉を与えることだ。褒め言葉は代価の要らぬ時に遅れて届き、今この時にダルマを支えるべき適時の承認とはならない。
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse criticizes delayed appreciation: people often praise only after value has faded or the struggle is already over. Vidura implies that true dharmic conduct is to recognize and honor merit, effort, and virtue in time—when encouragement and respect can actually support right action.
In Vidura’s counsel (vidura-nīti) within the Udyoga Parva, he offers sharp observations about human behavior and courtly society. Here he lists examples—stale food, an aged wife, a battle-worn victor, and an ascetic who has ‘crossed over’—to show how praise is commonly postponed until it is safe, conventional, or costless.