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:
viguṇā hāpi saṃrakṣyā jñāsayo bharatarṣabha | ki punarguṇavantaste tvatprasādābhikāṅkṣiṇaḥ ||
Wika ni Vidura: “O toro sa mga Bharata, kahit ang sariling mga kaanak ay salat sa kagalingan, nararapat pa ring pangalagaan. Lalo na, kung gayon, yaong mga may kabutihang-asal at umaasa sa iyong pabor at pag-iingat—gaano pa sila higit na dapat alagaan?”
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.