Shloka 18
धृतराष्ट्रस्य वंशोपदेशः
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Dynastic Counsel on Legitimate Rule
विदुर उवाच देवव्रत निबोधेदं वचनं मम भाषत: । प्रणष्ट: कौरवो वंशस्त्वयायं पुनरुद्धृत:,विदुर बोले--देवव्रतजी! मेरी यह बात सुनिये। यह कौरववंश नष्ट हो चला था, जिसका आपने पुनः उद्धार किया था
vidura uvāca devavrata nibodhedaṁ vacanaṁ mama bhāṣataḥ | praṇaṣṭaḥ kauravo vaṁśas tvayāyaṁ punar uddhṛtaḥ ||
ودُر نے کہا— اے دیوورت، میری یہ بات سمجھو۔ کوروَوَں کا یہ وंश تباہی کے دہانے پر تھا؛ اسے تم ہی نے پھر سے سنبھال کر اٹھایا تھا۔
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vidura reminds Bhīṣma of his decisive moral responsibility: since Bhīṣma once preserved and restored the Kaurava house, he must now act with the same sense of duty to prevent its self-destruction through adharma and reckless conflict.
In Udyoga Parva, as war becomes imminent, Vidura addresses Bhīṣma (Devavrata) directly, beginning a pointed counsel. He frames his appeal by recalling Bhīṣma’s past role in saving the Kaurava lineage, setting the stage for urging corrective action in the present crisis.