Shloka 15
अतः प्रियं चेदनुकाड्क्षसे त्वं सर्वेषु कार्येषु हिताहितेषु । स्त्रियश्ष राजन् जडपडजुकांश्व पृच्छ त्वं वै तादृशांश्वैव सर्वान्,राजन! यदि तुम भले-बुरे सभी कार्योमें केवल चिकनी-चुपड़ी बातें ही सुनना चाहते हो, तो स्त्रियों, मूर्खों, पंगुओं तथा उसी तरहके अन्य सब मनुष्योंसे सलाह लिया करो
ataḥ priyaṁ ced anukāṅkṣase tvaṁ sarveṣu kāryeṣu hitāhitēṣu | striyaś ca rājan jaḍapaṅgubālān pṛccha tvaṁ vai tādṛśāṁś caiva sarvān ||
ରାଜନ୍! ଯଦି ହିତ-ଅହିତ ସମସ୍ତ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟରେ ତୁମେ କେବଳ କାନକୁ ମିଠା ଲାଗୁଥିବା କଥା ମାତ୍ର ଶୁଣିବାକୁ ଚାହୁଁଛ, ତେବେ ସ୍ତ୍ରୀମାନଙ୍କୁ, ଜଡବୁଦ୍ଧିମାନଙ୍କୁ, ପଙ୍ଗୁମାନଙ୍କୁ ଏବଂ ସେହିପରି ଅନ୍ୟ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ପଚାରି ପରାମର୍ଶ ନିଅ।
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should not seek merely pleasing words; wise governance requires hearing truthful counsel about what is truly beneficial (hita), even when it is unpleasant. Flattery is a sign of poor advisers and leads to harmful decisions.
Vidura is admonishing the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) during his counsel in the Sabha Parva, warning him that if he only wants agreeable talk in matters of right and wrong, he will end up consulting unfit advisers—those likely to echo what he wishes to hear rather than what is right.