Shloka 6
Śānti-parva 168: Śoka-nivṛtti-buddhi (The Cognition that Reduces Grief) and Piṅgalā’s Nairāśya
एतदेवाभिपद्यस्व मा ते5भूच्चलितं मन: । एतन्मूलौ हि धर्माथवितदेकपदं हि मे
etad evābhipadyasva mā te 'bhūc calitaṁ manaḥ | etan-mūlau hi dharmārthau tad eka-padaṁ hi me, yudhiṣṭhira |
യുധിഷ്ഠിരാ! ഇതേ മാത്രം നീ സ്വീകരിക്ക; ഇതിൽ നിന്ന് നിന്റെ മനസ്സ് ചലിക്കരുത്. ധർമ്മത്തിന്റെയും അർത്ഥത്തിന്റെയും മൂലം ഇതുതന്നെ; എന്റെ അഭിപ്രായത്തിൽ ഇതുതന്നെ പരമപദം।
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vidura urges unwavering commitment to a single, foundational principle that grounds both dharma (righteous conduct) and artha (practical prosperity). The ethical point is steadiness of mind: once the right foundation is recognized, one should not let inner agitation or temptation divert one from it.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction-setting, Vidura addresses Yudhiṣṭhira with counsel. He emphasizes that Yudhiṣṭhira should adopt this teaching as his settled course and remain mentally unshaken, because it is presented as the root-source of both moral duty and worldly success, and thus the highest goal in Vidura’s estimation.