Shloka 17

अध्याय ६४ — सभामध्ये क्रोध-निवारणम्

Restraint of wrath in the royal assembly

Devanagari script

यस्तु धर्मपरश्न स्याद्धित्वा भर्तुः प्रियाप्रिये | अप्रियाण्याह पथ्यानि तेन राजा सहायवान्‌,जो धर्ममें तत्पर रहकर स्वामीके प्रिय-अप्रियका विचार छोड़कर अप्रिय होनेपर भी हितकर वचन बोलता है, वही राजाका सच्चा सहायक है

Transliteration

yastu dharmaparaśnaḥ syād hitvā bhartuḥ priyāpriye | apriyāṇy āha pathyāni tena rājā sahāyavān ||

Translation

ಧರ್ಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಥಿರನಾಗಿ, ಸ್ವಾಮಿಗೆ ಅದು ಪ್ರಿಯವೋ ಅಪ್ರಿಯವೋ ಎಂಬ ಚಿಂತೆಯನ್ನು ತ್ಯಜಿಸಿ, ಅಪ್ರಿಯವಾಗಿದ್ದರೂ ಹಿತಕರವಾದ ಮಾತನ್ನು ಹೇಳುವವನೇ ರಾಜನ ನಿಜವಾದ ಸಹಾಯಕನು; ಅಂಥ ಸಲಹೆಗಾರನಿಂದ ರಾಜನು ನಿಜವಾಗಿ ಬೆಂಬಲಿತನಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ.

Word by Word

यःwho

तुbut/indeed

धर्म-परःdevoted to dharma

स्यात्should be / would be

हित्वाhaving abandoned

भर्तुःof the master/lord

प्रिय-अप्रियेthe pleasing and the displeasing (things)

अप्रियाणिunpleasant (things/words)

आहsays/speaks

पथ्यानिwholesome/beneficial (words)

तेनby him/with him

राजाthe king

सहायवान्having a helper; well-supported

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

the king (rājā)

the master/lord (bhartṛ, i.e., the one served)

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?

A king’s best support is a counsellor devoted to dharma who prioritizes beneficial truth over personal safety or the ruler’s momentary pleasure, and who can speak even unwelcome advice for the king’s long-term good.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vidura’s discourse on right conduct and governance, he defines the qualities of a genuine royal adviser: one who does not flatter, but offers salutary guidance grounded in dharma, even when it displeases the ruler.