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Shloka 17

उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय 33: धृतराष्ट्र-विदुर संवादः (विदुरनीतिः)

यथा मधु समादत्ते रक्षन्‌ पुष्पाणि षट्पद:ः । तद्वदर्थान्‌ मनुष्येभ्य आदद्यादविहिंसया

yathā madhu samādatte rakṣan puṣpāṇi ṣaṭpadaḥ | tadvad arthān manuṣyebhya ādadīd avihiṃsayā ||

जसा भुंगा फुलांचे रक्षण करत मधु घेतो, तसाच राजा प्रजेला पीडा न देता त्यांच्याकडून धन घ्यावे.

यथाjust as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
मधुhoney
मधु:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमधु
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
समादत्तेtakes, collects
समादत्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + आ + √दा
FormPresent (Lat), Third, Singular, Atmanepada
रक्षन्protecting
रक्षन्:
TypeVerb
Root√रक्ष्
FormPresent active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular
पुष्पाणिflowers
पुष्पाणि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपुष्प
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
षट्पदःbee (six-footed one)
षट्पदः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootषट्पद
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तद्वत्so, in the same way
तद्वत्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतद्वत्
अर्थान्wealth, resources
अर्थान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
मनुष्येभ्यःfrom people
मनुष्येभ्यः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootमनुष्य
FormMasculine, Ablative, Plural
आदद्याद्should take
आदद्याद्:
TypeVerb
Rootआ + √दा
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
अविहिंसयाwithout harming; non-violently
अविहिंसया:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअविहिंसा
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular

विदुर उवाच

V
Vidura
ṣaṭpada (bee)
P
puṣpa (flowers)
M
madhu (honey)
R
rājā (king, implied)

Educational Q&A

A ruler may levy revenue, but must do so gently and responsibly—like a bee taking honey without damaging the flower—so that the subjects are protected rather than exploited.

In the Udyoga Parva, Vidura delivers counsel on righteous conduct and statecraft. Here he uses a natural metaphor to instruct that royal collection of wealth should be non-harmful and protective of the people.