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Shloka 34

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

Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 38

असम्यगुपयुक्तं हि ज्ञानं सुकुशलैरपि । उपलभ्यं चाविदितं विदितं चाननुछितम्‌,अत्यन्त कुशल दिद्वानोंके द्वारा भी उपदेश किया हुआ ज्ञान व्यर्थ ही है, यदि उससे कर्तव्यका ज्ञान न हुआ अथवा ज्ञान होनेपर भी उसका अनुष्ठान न हुआ

asamyagupayuktaṃ hi jñānaṃ sukuśalair api | upalabhyaṃ cāviditaṃ viditaṃ cānanuṣṭhitam ||

Vidura berkata: Bahkan pengetahuan yang diajarkan oleh orang yang paling cekap dan mahir pun menjadi sia-sia jika tidak diterapkan dengan benar—jika ia diperoleh tetapi tidak benar-benar difahami, atau sudah difahami namun tidak diamalkan. Dalam urusan dharma, ajaran hanya bernilai apabila membawa kepada kejelasan tentang kewajipan dan pelaksanaan berdisiplin terhadap apa yang diketahui sebagai benar.

असम्यक्improperly, not rightly
असम्यक्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअसम्यक्
उपयुक्तम्applied/used
उपयुक्तम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootउप-युज्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
हिindeed, for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
ज्ञानम्knowledge
ज्ञानम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootज्ञान
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
सुकुशलैःby very skilled (persons)
सुकुशलैः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootसुकुशल
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
अपिeven, also
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
उपलभ्यम्obtainable, attainable
उपलभ्यम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootउप-लभ्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अविदितम्unknown, not understood
अविदितम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootअविदित
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
विदितम्known, understood
विदितम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootविदित
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अननुष्ठितम्not practiced, not carried out
अननुष्ठितम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootअननुष्ठित
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular

विदुर उवाच

V
Vidura

Educational Q&A

Knowledge is meaningful only when correctly understood and put into action; otherwise—even if taught by experts—it remains fruitless. Dharma requires both discernment (knowing duty) and anushthana (practice).

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers moral and political counsel amid rising conflict. Here he stresses that mere instruction or learning is insufficient unless it transforms conduct—an implicit admonition to act on righteous counsel rather than merely hear it.