Shloka 21

Udyoga Parva Adhyāya 132 — Vidura’s Counsel on Udyama, Yaśas, and Kṣātra-Dharma

Devanagari script

कुरु सत्त्वं च मानं च विद्धि पौरुषमात्मन:

Transliteration

kuru sattvaṃ ca mānaṃ ca viddhi pauruṣam ātmanaḥ

Translation

Vāyu berkata: “Tegakkan keberanian dan keteguhan; ketahuilah bahawa keperwiraan sejati ada dalam dirimu sendiri—peliharalah maruah dan kehormatan.”

Word by Word

• कुरु: do; make; cultivate
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सत्त्वम्: courage; firmness; virtue
• सत्त्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मानम्: honour; self-respect; pride
• मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विद्धि: know; understand; recognize
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• पौरुषम्: manliness; valour; human effort
• पौरुषम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आत्मनः: of oneself; of the self
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva (Wind-god)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines pauruṣa (true valor) as an inner quality: one should actively cultivate sattva (courage/steadfastness) and māna (honor/self-respect). Heroism is presented as moral strength and dignity rooted in the self, not merely physical power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva is speaking in an exhortative tone, instructing the listener to recognize and develop the inner foundations of heroic conduct—courage and honor—appropriate to the ethical demands of the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations.