Shloka 17
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय 33: धृतराष्ट्र-विदुर संवादः (विदुरनीतिः)
Devanagari script
यथा मधु समादत्ते रक्षन् पुष्पाणि षट्पद:ः । तद्वदर्थान् मनुष्येभ्य आदद्यादविहिंसया
Transliteration
yathā madhu samādatte rakṣan puṣpāṇi ṣaṭpadaḥ | tadvad arthān manuṣyebhya ādadīd avihiṃsayā ||
Translation
यथा मधु समादत्ते रक्षन् पुष्पाणि षट्पदः । तद्वदर्थान् मनुष्येभ्य आदद्यादविहिंसया ॥
Word by Word
यथाjust as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
मधुhoney
मधु:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमधु
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
समादत्तेtakes, collects
समादत्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + आ + √दा
FormPresent (Lat), Third, Singular, Atmanepada
रक्षन्protecting
रक्षन्:
TypeVerb
Root√रक्ष्
FormPresent active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular
पुष्पाणिflowers
पुष्पाणि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपुष्प
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
षट्पदःbee (six-footed one)
षट्पदः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootषट्पद
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तद्वत्so, in the same way
तद्वत्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतद्वत्
अर्थान्wealth, resources
अर्थान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
मनुष्येभ्यःfrom people
मनुष्येभ्यः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootमनुष्य
FormMasculine, Ablative, Plural
आदद्याद्should take
आदद्याद्:
TypeVerb
Rootआ + √दा
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
अविहिंसयाwithout harming; non-violently
अविहिंसया:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअविहिंसा
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
Speaker
विदुर उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
ViduraṢ
ṣaṭpada (bee)P
puṣpa (flowers)M
madhu (honey)R
rājā (king, implied)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
A ruler may levy revenue, but must do so gently and responsibly—like a bee taking honey without damaging the flower—so that the subjects are protected rather than exploited.
In the Udyoga Parva, Vidura delivers counsel on righteous conduct and statecraft. Here he uses a natural metaphor to instruct that royal collection of wealth should be non-harmful and protective of the people.