Shloka 17
कृष्णेन विदुरं प्रति आगमन-हेतु-निवेदनम् / Krishna explains the purpose of his coming to Vidura
दुर्बुद्धीनामशिष्टानां बहूनां दुष्टचेतसाम् । प्रतीपं वचनं मध्ये तव कृष्ण न रोचते
durbuddhīnām aśiṣṭānāṁ bahūnāṁ duṣṭacetasām | pratīpaṁ vacanaṁ madhye tava kṛṣṇa na rocate ||
हे कृष्णा! ते अनेक आहेत—दुर्बुद्धी, अशिष्ट आणि दुष्टचेतस; त्यांच्या मध्ये जाऊन तुम्ही प्रतिकूल वचन बोलणे मला रुचत नाही.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights prudent ethical counsel: when facing a large group driven by poor judgment and ill intent, even truthful or necessary speech can be received as hostile; therefore one should weigh context, audience, and consequences before entering such a setting or speaking sharply.
In Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, the narrator reports a warning to Kṛṣṇa: the opposing party is numerous and morally compromised, so Kṛṣṇa’s going among them—and potentially having to speak contrary words—seems dangerous and undesirable.