Shloka 34

Adhyaya 32: Saṃjaya’s Return, Audience with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Ethical Admonition

Devanagari script

संसारयति कृत्यानि सर्वत्र विचिकित्सते । चिरं करो ति क्षिप्रार्थे स मूढो भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ। जो अपने कामोंको व्यर्थ ही फैलाता है, सर्वत्र संदेह करता है तथा शीघ्र होनेवाले काममें भी देर लगाता है, वह मूठ है

Transliteration

saṃsārayati kṛtyāni sarvatra vicikitsate | ciraṃ karoti kṣiprārthe sa mūḍho bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

โอ้ยอดแห่งวงศ์ภารตะ ผู้ใดทำกิจของตนให้ยืดยาวโดยไม่จำเป็น สงสัยไปเสียทุกแห่งหน และแม้กิจที่ควรเร่งก็ยังผัดผ่อน—ผู้นั้นเป็นคนหลงเขลา

Word by Word

संसारयतिspreads out / prolongs / makes (tasks) ramble

कृत्यानिtasks / things to be done

सर्वत्रeverywhere / in all matters

विचिकित्सतेdoubts / hesitates

चिरम्for a long time

करोतिdoes / makes

क्षिप्रार्थेin a matter requiring quick action

सःhe

मूढःdeluded / foolish

भरतर्षभO bull among the Bharatas

भरतश्रेष्ठO best of the Bharatas

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

Bharatarṣabha (honorific addressee, typically Dhṛtarāṣṭra in context)

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?

Indecision and procrastination are marks of delusion: one should not inflate tasks unnecessarily, should avoid habitual doubt, and should act promptly when the situation calls for swift action.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vidura’s counsel during Udyoga Parva, he characterizes flawed judgment in a ruler or decision-maker—warning the addressed Bharata elder that delaying urgent duties and doubting everywhere leads to harmful outcomes.