Shloka 38

विदुरस्य कृष्णं प्रति शमोपदेशः

Vidura’s Counsel to Krishna on the Limits of Peace

Devanagari script

यातेषु कुरुषु क्षत्ता दाशार्हमपराजितम्‌ । अभ्यर्चयामास तदा सर्वकामै: प्रयत्नवान्‌

Transliteration

yāteṣu kuruṣu kṣattā dāśārham aparājitam | abhyarcayāmāsa tadā sarvakāmaiḥ prayatnavān ||

Translation

यातेषु कुरुषु क्षत्ता दाशार्हमपराजितम् । अभ्यर्चयामास तदा सर्वकामैः प्रयत्नवान् ॥

Word by Word

यातेषुwhen (they) had gone / after the departure (of)

कुरुषुamong the Kurus / when the Kurus (had gone)

क्षत्ताthe chamberlain (Vidura)

दाशार्हम्the Dāśārha (Krishna)

अपराजितम्unconquered, invincible

अभ्यर्चयामासhonoured, worshipped

तदाthen

सर्वकामैःwith all desired things / with every comfort

प्रयत्नवान्diligent, making effort

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Kurus

Kṣattā (Vidura)

Dāśārha (Kṛṣṇa)

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma in the form of proper hospitality and respectful service: when public proceedings end, a conscientious host honors a worthy guest with sincere effort and appropriate offerings.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the Kurus leave, Vidura (the kṣattā) personally attends to Kṛṣṇa, honoring him with all comforts and offerings, indicating continued respect and careful protocol beyond the formal court setting.