Shloka 56
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय 33: धृतराष्ट्र-विदुर संवादः (विदुरनीतिः)
अविजित्य य आत्मानममात्यान् विजिगीषते । अमित्रान् वाजितामात्य: सोडवश: परिहीयते
avijitya ya ātmānam amātyān vijigīṣate | amitrān vā ajitāmātyaḥ so 'vaśaḥ parihīyate ||
अविजित्य य आत्मानममात्यान् विजिगीषते । अमित्रान् वाजितामात्यः सोऽवशः परिहीयते ॥
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Effective rule and victory begin with self-mastery. Without conquering one’s own impulses and disciplining one’s inner life, attempts to control ministers or defeat enemies collapse; such a leader loses support and falls into helpless decline.
In Vidura’s counsel during the Udyoga Parva, he lays down a principle of political and ethical governance: a king must first govern himself, then his administration (ministers), and only then can he hope to prevail over external foes.