Shloka 22
धृतराष्ट्रस्य वंशोपदेशः
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Dynastic Counsel on Legitimate Rule
यथा ते न प्रणश्येयुर्महाराज तथा कुरु । मां चैव धृतराष्ट्रं च पूर्वमेव महामते
yathā te na praṇaśyeyur mahārāja tathā kuru | māṃ caiva dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ ca pūrvam eva mahāmate ||
Vidura disse: “Ó grande rei, age de tal modo que a tua linhagem não pereça. E tu, sábio, protege também a mim e a Dhṛtarāṣṭra desde já—toma medidas em tempo, antes que a calamidade nos alcance.”
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vidura urges timely, dharma-aligned action to prevent the ruin of one’s house and dependents; wise governance means anticipating disaster and taking preventive measures rather than reacting after destruction begins.
In the tense pre-war context of the Udyoga Parva, Vidura counsels the king to act decisively so that the Kuru family does not collapse, and he specifically asks that he and Dhṛtarāṣṭra be safeguarded in advance—implying imminent danger if wrong choices continue.