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Shloka 76

Vidura-nīti: Atithi-dharma, Trust, Counsel-Secrecy, and Traits of Sustainable Rule

Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 38

अविद्य: पुरुष: शोच्य: शोच्यं मैथुनमप्रजम्‌ । निराहारा: प्रजा: शोच्या: शोच्य॑ राष्ट्रमराजकम्‌,विद्याहीन पुरुष, संतानोत्पत्तिरहित स्त्रीप्रसंग, आहार न पानेवाली प्रजा और बिना राजाके राष्ट्रके लिये शोक करना चाहिये

avidyaḥ puruṣaḥ śocyaḥ śocyaṁ maithunam aprajam | nirāhārāḥ prajāḥ śocyāḥ śocyaṁ rāṣṭram arājakam ||

വിദ്യയില്ലാത്ത പുരുഷൻ ശോചനീയൻ; സന്താനം ലഭിക്കാത്ത സംഗമവും ശോചനീയം. ആഹാരമില്ലാതെ കഴിയുന്ന പ്രജയും ശോചനീയം; രാജാവില്ലാത്ത രാജ്യമും ശോചനീയം.

अविद्यःunlearned, without knowledge
अविद्यः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअविद्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पुरुषःman, person
पुरुषः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
शोच्यःto be lamented, pitiable
शोच्यः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootशोच्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
शोच्यम्to be lamented, pitiable
शोच्यम्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootशोच्य
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
मैथुनम्sexual union, intercourse
मैथुनम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमैथुन
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
अप्रजम्without offspring, infertile
अप्रजम्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअप्रज
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
निराहाराःwithout food, unfed
निराहाराः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootनिराहार
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
प्रजाःsubjects, people
प्रजाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootप्रजा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
शोच्याःto be lamented, pitiable
शोच्याः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootशोच्य
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
शोच्यम्to be lamented, pitiable
शोच्यम्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootशोच्य
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
राष्ट्रम्kingdom, realm
राष्ट्रम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootराष्ट्र
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
अराजकम्without a king, leaderless
अराजकम्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअराजक
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular

विदुर उवाच

V
Vidura
P
prajāḥ (the people/subjects)
R
rāṣṭra (the kingdom/realm)
R
rājā (the king, implied by arājakam)

Educational Q&A

Vidura lists four conditions that deserve lamentation because they undermine human flourishing and social stability: ignorance in a person, intimacy that fails to secure lineage/continuity, a populace deprived of food, and a leaderless kingdom. The teaching emphasizes that wisdom, progeny/continuity, sustenance, and rightful governance are pillars of dharma and societal well-being.

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura delivers counsel (nīti) amid rising political crisis, warning about the foundations of a stable realm. This verse functions as a compact ethical diagnosis: when knowledge, family continuity, public nourishment, or kingship collapses, grief and disorder follow.