Shloka 20
Vidura-nīti: Atithi-dharma, Trust, Counsel-Secrecy, and Traits of Sustainable Rule
Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 38
विगुणा हाूपि संरक्ष्या ज्ञासयों भरतर्षभ । कि पुनर्गुणवन्तस्ते त्वत्प्रसादाभिकाड्क्षिण:,भरतश्रेष्ठ! अपने कुट॒म्बके लोग गुणहीन हों, तो भी उनकी रक्षा करनी चाहिये। फिर जो आपके कृपाभिलाषी एवं गुणवान् हैं, उनकी तो बात ही क्या है
viguṇā hāpi saṃrakṣyā jñāsayo bharatarṣabha | ki punarguṇavantaste tvatprasādābhikāṅkṣiṇaḥ ||
โอ้ผู้ประเสริฐในวงศ์ภารตะ แม้ญาติของตนจะไร้คุณความดี ก็ยังควรคุ้มครอง แล้วผู้มีคุณธรรมและเฝ้ารอพระกรุณาของท่าน จะยิ่งควรดูแลเพียงใดเล่า
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler (and any householder) must protect dependents and relatives even if they lack virtues; therefore, the obligation is even stronger toward virtuous people who seek one’s patronage. The verse argues from the lesser duty to the greater (ki punar).
In Udyoga Parva, Vidura counsels the Kuru elder (addressed as Bharatarṣabha) on righteous conduct and statecraft. Here he urges protective responsibility toward one’s own people, reinforcing the ethical basis for just governance amid rising conflict.