Shloka 21

धृतराष्ट्रस्य वंशोपदेशः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Dynastic Counsel on Legitimate Rule

Devanagari script

अतिक्रामति य: शास्त्र पितुर्धर्मार्थदर्शिन: । एते नश्यन्ति कुरवो दुर्योधनकृतेन वै

Transliteration

atikrāmati yaḥ śāstraṁ pitur dharmārthadarśinaḥ | ete naśyanti kuravo duryodhanakṛtena vai ||

Translation

Vidura diz: Aquele que transgride as injunções do śāstra e se recusa a ouvir até mesmo o próprio pai—que vê com clareza o que é dharma e o que serve ao verdadeiro bem—torna-se causa de ruína. De fato, é unicamente por causa da conduta de Duryodhana que os Kaurava estão sendo destruídos.

Word by Word

• अतिक्रामति: transgresses, oversteps
• अतिक्रामति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-क्रम्
• Form: Lat (Present), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शास्त्रम्: scriptural injunction, law
• शास्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पितुः: of (his) father
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• धर्मार्थदर्शिनः: of the one who sees (what is) dharma and artha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मार्थदर्शिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• एते: these
• एते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नश्यन्ति: perish, are destroyed
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश्
• Form: Lat (Present), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

• कुरवः: the Kurus (Kauravas)
• कुरवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दुर्योधनकृतेन: because of Duryodhana (lit. by what is done/caused by Duryodhana)
• दुर्योधनकृतेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्योधनकृत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वै: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Duryodhana
• Kauravas (Kuravas)
• father (Dhṛtarāṣṭra, implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Disregard for śāstra and contempt for wise parental counsel—especially from one who understands dharma and true welfare—leads not only to personal fault but to collective ruin; a leader’s adharma can destroy an entire clan.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura warns the Kuru king (implicitly Dhṛtarāṣṭra) that Duryodhana’s stubborn rejection of ethical law and counsel is driving the Kauravas toward inevitable destruction, foreshadowing the coming war.