Shloka 17

उद्योगपर्व (अध्याय १२९) — केशवस्य वैभवप्रदर्शनम् / Krishna’s Theophanic Display in the Kuru Assembly

Devanagari script

सात्यकेस्तद्‌ वच: श्रुत्वा विदुरो दीर्घदर्शिवान्‌

Transliteration

sātyakestadvacaḥ śrutvā viduro dīrghadarśivān | aśakyam ayaśasyaṃ ca kartuṃ karma samudyatāḥ ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Nang marinig ni Vidura—malayong tumingin at matalas magpasya—ang mga salita ni Sātyaki, siya’y nagsalita at nagbabala na ang mga Kaurava ay naghahanda sa isang gawang kapwa imposibleng magtagumpay at tiyak na magdadala ng kahihiyan. Sa diwa ng dharma, itinuring ni Vidura ang kanilang paninindigan bilang pagguho ng paghatol: kapag ang tao’y itinutulak ng tadhana, poot, at pagkalito, pumipili siya ng mga gawaing lumalabag sa dharma at sa huli’y infamia ang aanihin, hindi tunay na tagumpay.

Word by Word

• {'sātyakeḥ': 'of Sātyaki', 'tat': 'that', 'vacaḥ': 'speech, words', 'śrutvā': 'having heard', 'viduraḥ': 'Vidura (the wise counselor of the Kuru court)', 'dīrgha-darśivān': 'far-seeing, prudent, one who foresees consequences', 'aśakyam': 'impossible, not feasible', 'ayaśasyam': 'bringing ill-fame, disgraceful', 'ca': 'and', 'kartuṃ': 'to do, to accomplish', 'karma': 'deed, action (often with moral consequence)', 'samudyatāḥ': 'resolved, prepared, set upon (undertaking)'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Sātyaki
• Vidura

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Vidura’s warning highlights a dharmic principle: actions chosen without foresight—especially those driven by pride, anger, or fatalism—tend to be both unworkable and dishonorable. True success is inseparable from ethical means; otherwise the outcome is disgrace even if power is temporarily gained.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Sātyaki speaks, Vidura responds as a prudent advisor. He characterizes the Kauravas’ intended course as an impossible and shameful undertaking, signaling that their decision-making has become morally and strategically unsound in the escalating conflict leading toward war.