Shloka 8

हंस–साध्यसंवादः, वाक्-निग्रहः, महाकुल-लक्षणम्, शान्ति-उपायः

Hamsa–Sādhya Dialogue; Restraint of Speech; Marks of Noble Lineage; Means to Peace

Devanagari script

जरा रूप॑ हरति हि धैर्यमाशा मृत्यु: प्राणान्‌ धर्मचर्यामसूया । कामो हट्िियं वृत्तमनार्यसेवा क्रोध: श्रियं सर्वमेवाभिमान:

Transliteration

jarā rūpaṁ harati hi dhairyam āśā mṛtyuḥ prāṇān dharmacaryām asūyā | kāmo hrīṁ vṛttam anāryasevā krodhaḥ śriyaṁ sarvam evābhimānaḥ ||

Translation

ବୃଦ୍ଧାବସ୍ଥା ରୂପକୁ ହରିନେଇଥାଏ; ଆସକ୍ତିମୟ ଆଶା ଧୈର୍ଯ୍ୟକୁ କ୍ଷୟ କରେ; ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ପ୍ରାଣକୁ ନେଇଯାଏ; ପରର ଗୁଣରେ ଦୋଷ ଦେଖୁଥିବା ଅସୂୟା ଧର୍ମାଚରଣକୁ ନଷ୍ଟ କରେ; କାମ ଲଜ୍ଜାକୁ ହରେ; ନୀଚଙ୍କ ସେବା ସଦାଚାରକୁ ଭଙ୍ଗ କରେ; କ୍ରୋଧ ଶ୍ରୀ-ସମୃଦ୍ଧିକୁ ନାଶ କରେ; ଅଭିମାନ ତ ସର୍ବସ୍ୱକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ନଷ୍ଟ କରିଦିଏ।

Word by Word

• {'jarā': 'old age, senescence', 'rūpa': 'form, beauty, appearance', 'harati': 'takes away, removes', 'dhairya': 'steadfastness, courage, composure', 'āśā': 'hope, expectation', 'mṛtyuḥ': 'death', 'prāṇān': 'life-breaths, vital forces', 'dharmacaryā': 'practice/observance of dharma, righteous conduct', 'asūyā': 'envy, spite

• fault-finding at others’ merits', 'kāma': 'desire, lust', 'hrī': 'modesty, shame, moral restraint', 'vṛtta': 'good conduct, virtuous behavior', 'anārya-sevā': 'service to the ignoble/unworthy

• association with base people', 'krodha': 'anger, wrath', 'śrī': 'prosperity, fortune, splendor', 'sarvam': 'everything, all', 'abhimāna': 'pride, self-conceit, arrogance'}

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• jarā (old age)
• mṛtyu (death)
• kāma (desire)
• krodha (anger)
• abhimāna (pride)
• śrī (prosperity/fortune)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Vidura lists the main ‘destroyers’ of human excellence—beauty, courage, life, dharma-practice, modesty, good conduct, prosperity, and finally everything—showing how unchecked hope, envy, desire, bad company, anger, and pride lead to ethical ruin.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura is giving moral-political counsel during the tense pre-war negotiations. This verse is part of his ethical instruction, warning the Kuru court about inner vices that undermine right judgment and stability.