Mahabharata 1.147.3 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 147, Shloka 3
Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 147 — Kanyā-paridevita
The daughter’s lament on lineage and protection
प्रच्छन्नं विदुरेणोक्त: श्रेयस्त्वमिति पाण्डवान् | प्रतिपादय विश्वासादिति कि करवाणि व:
prachchhannaṃ vidureṇoktaḥ śreyas tvam iti pāṇḍavān | pratipādaya viśvāsād iti kiṃ karavāṇi vaḥ ||
അവൻ പറഞ്ഞു—“വിദുരൻ എന്നോട് രഹസ്യമായി ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു—‘പാണ്ഡവരുടെ ശ്രേയസ്സിനായി പ്രവർത്തിക്ക. വാരണാവതത്തിലേക്ക് പോയി അവരുടെ വിശ്വാസം നേടി അവരുടെ ഹിതം ഉറപ്പാക്കുക.’ അതിനാൽ കല്പിക്കൂ—ഞാൻ നിങ്ങള്ക്കായി എന്ത് ചെയ്യണം?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic prudence: when righteous people face covert danger, ethical allies may act discreetly to protect them. Trust (viśvāsa) is presented as a necessary means for safeguarding welfare (śreyas) without alerting hostile forces.
A messenger acting on Vidura’s confidential instruction approaches the Pāṇḍavas at Vāraṇāvata, stating that he has been sent to accomplish their welfare by gaining their confidence, and asks what service he should perform—setting the stage for a secret protective plan.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.