Shloka 17
नारदेन धृतराष्ट्रगतिवर्णनम् | Nārada’s Account of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Future Course
“महाराज! तुम्हारे भाई विदुर देवताओंके भी देवता सनातन धर्म थे। मनके द्वारा धर्मका धारण और ध्यान किया जाता है, इसलिये विद्वान् पुरुष उन्हें धर्मके नामसे जानते हैं ।। सत्येन संवर्धयति यो दमेन शमेन च । अहिंसया च दानेन तप्यमान: सनातन:,“जो सत्य, इन्द्रियसंयम, मनोनिग्रह, अहिंसा और दानके रूपमें सेवित होनेपर जगतके अभ्युदयका साधक होता है, वह सनातन धर्म विदुरसे भिन्न नहीं है
vaiśampāyana uvāca | mahārāja! tava bhrātā viduro devatānām api devatā sanātano dharmaḥ | manasā dharmo dhāryate dhyāyate ca, tasmād vidvāṃsaḥ taṃ dharmeti nāmnā jānanti || satyena saṃvardhayati yo damena śamena ca | ahiṃsayā ca dānena tapyamānaḥ sanātanaḥ || yo hi satya-indriya-saṃyama-mano-nigraha-ahiṃsā-dāna-rūpeṇa sevitaḥ sanātana-dharmaḥ jagato 'bhyudayasya sādhakaḥ, sa vidurād bhinnaḥ na bhavati |
वैशम्पायन उवाच—महाराज! तव भ्राता विदुरो देवतानामपि देवः सनातनो धर्मः। मनसा धारणं ध्यानं च क्रियते, तस्माद् विद्वांसस्तं ‘धर्म’ इति विदुः। सत्येन संवर्धयति यो दमेन शमेन च। अहिंसया च दानेन तप्यमानः सनातनः। स धर्मो विदुरान्न भिन्नः॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is not merely a concept but a lived discipline: truthfulness, sense-restraint (dama), mental tranquility (śama), non-violence (ahiṃsā), and generosity (dāna). When these are practiced, eternal Dharma becomes the cause of the world’s welfare (abhyudaya). Vidura is presented as the embodiment of that Dharma.
Vaiśampāyana addresses the king and praises Vidura, identifying him with eternal Dharma itself. The passage explains why the wise call him ‘Dharma’ and lists the virtues through which Dharma is cultivated, concluding that such Dharma is not separate from Vidura.