Shloka 52

Vidura-nīti: Atithi-dharma, Trust, Counsel-Secrecy, and Traits of Sustainable Rule

Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 38

Devanagari script

मार्दवं सर्वभूतानामनसूया क्षमा धृति: । आयुष्याणि बुधा:ः प्राहुर्मित्राणां चाविमानना

Transliteration

mārdavaṁ sarvabhūtānām anasūyā kṣamā dhṛtiḥ | āyuṣyāṇi budhāḥ prāhur mitrāṇāṁ cāvimānanā ||

Translation

تمام جانداروں کے ساتھ نرمی، عیب جوئی سے پرہیز، درگزر، ثابت قدمی، اور دوستوں کی بے عزتی نہ کرنا—یہ وہ اوصاف ہیں جنہیں دانا لوگ عمر بڑھانے والے کہتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'mārdava', 'gloss': 'gentleness, softness of heart, mildness'}, {'term': 'sarva-bhūtānām', 'gloss': 'of all beings

• toward all living creatures'}, {'term': 'anasūyā', 'gloss': 'non-censoriousness

• freedom from envy/resentful criticism'}, {'term': 'kṣamā', 'gloss': 'forbearance, forgiveness, patience'}, {'term': 'dhṛti', 'gloss': 'steadfastness, firmness, sustaining resolve'}, {'term': 'āyuṣyāṇi', 'gloss': 'life-promoting

• conducive to longevity'}, {'term': 'budhāḥ', 'gloss': 'the wise, learned persons'}, {'term': 'prāhuḥ', 'gloss': 'they have said, they declare'}, {'term': 'mitrāṇām', 'gloss': 'of friends'}, {'term': 'avimānanā', 'gloss': 'non-disparagement

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• the wise (budhāḥ)
• friends (mitrāṇi)
• all beings (sarva-bhūtāni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Longevity and well-being are supported by ethical conduct: gentleness toward all beings, refraining from fault-finding, practicing forgiveness and steadfastness, and maintaining respect for friends.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura delivers nīti-instruction amid rising political tension, emphasizing personal virtues and social harmony as stabilizing forces when conflict is approaching.