Shloka 24

Devanagari script

अनधीत्य यथा वेदान्‌ न विप्र: श्राद्धमर्हति । एवमश्रुतषाड्गुण्यो न मन्त्र श्रोतुमहीति,जैसे वेदोंको पढ़े बिना ब्राह्मण श्राद्धकर्म करवानेका अधिकारी नहीं होता, उसी प्रकार (सन्धि, विग्रह, यान, आसन, द्वैधीभाव और समाश्रय नामक) छ: गुणोंको जाने बिना कोई गुप्त मन्त्रणा सुननेका अधिकारी नहीं होता

Transliteration

anadhītya yathā vedān na vipraḥ śrāddham arhati | evam aśruta-ṣāḍguṇyo na mantraṃ śrotum arhati ||

Translation

ヴィドゥラは言った。「ヴェーダを学ばぬバラモンがシュラーダ（śrāddha）の儀礼を司る資格を持たぬように、国政の六策を修めぬ者もまた、秘められた評議を聞く資格はない。密議は鍛錬され規律ある者にのみ託すべきである。資格なき聞き手は、政略とダルマの双方を危うくするからだ。」

Word by Word

अनधीत्यwithout studying / having not studied

यथाjust as

वेदान्the Vedas

नnot

विप्रःa brahmin

श्राद्धम्śrāddha rite

अर्हतिis entitled / deserves

एवम्thus / in the same way

अश्रुतषाड्गुण्यःone who has not learned the sixfold policy

नnot

मन्त्रम्counsel / secret consultation

श्रोतुम्to hear

अर्हतिis entitled / deserves

इतिthus (quotative)

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

Vedas

Vipra (Brahmin priest)

Śrāddha

Ṣ

Ṣāḍguṇya (sixfold state policy)

Mantra (confidential counsel)

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?

Confidential political counsel should be heard only by those trained in the sixfold principles of diplomacy (ṣāḍguṇya). Just as ritual authority requires Vedic learning, political deliberation requires disciplined knowledge; otherwise secrecy and right policy are endangered.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, Vidura instructs the Kuru court on prudent governance. Here he uses a ritual analogy—eligibility for śrāddha officiation—to argue that only qualified, educated persons should be admitted to secret strategic discussions.