Shloka 20
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय 33: धृतराष्ट्र-विदुर संवादः (विदुरनीतिः)
अनारशभ्या भवन्त्यर्था: केचिन्नित्यं तथागता: । कृत: पुरुषकारो हि भवेद् येषु निरर्थक:
anāraśabhyā bhavanty arthāḥ kecin nityaṃ tathāgatāḥ | kṛtaḥ puruṣakāro hi bhaved yeṣu nirarthakaḥ ||
มีเป้าหมายบางประการที่โดยสภาพแล้วไม่อาจบรรลุได้เสมอไป จึงไม่ควรเริ่มลงมือ เพราะในกรณีเช่นนั้น แม้ความเพียรพยายามของมนุษย์อย่างจริงใจก็ลงเอยด้วยความสูญเปล่า
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Discernment (viveka) in choosing goals: do not invest effort in aims that are inherently unattainable, because even sincere exertion becomes futile; wise action begins with judging feasibility and meaningful outcome.
In Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers Nīti-style counsel during the tense pre-war negotiations, urging clear judgment and restraint; here he emphasizes that some undertakings are pointless by nature and should be avoided.