Shloka 18
Āśvamedhika-parva Adhyāya 1 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament by the Gaṅgā and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel
एवं ब्रुवति कौन्तेय विदुरे दीर्घदर्शिनि । दुर्योधनमहं पापमन्ववर्त वृथामति:,“कुन्तीनन्दन! दूरदर्शी विदुरके ऐसा कहनेपर भी मैंने पापी दुर्योधनका ही अनुसरण किया। मेरी बुद्धि निरर्थक हो गयी थी
evaṁ bruvati kaunteya vidure dīrghadarśini | duryodhanam ahaṁ pāpam anvavarta vṛthāmatiḥ ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana nói: “Hỡi con của Kuntī, dẫu Vidura, bậc nhìn xa trông rộng, đã nói như thế, ta—khi trí xét đoán đã hóa vô dụng—vẫn cứ theo chân Duryodhana tội lỗi.”
वैशमग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even clear, wise counsel (Vidura’s long-sighted guidance) becomes fruitless if one’s intellect is clouded by attachment and wrong allegiance; following adharma leads to moral failure and later remorse.
The speaker confesses to a Pāṇḍava addressed as ‘Kaunteya’ that, despite Vidura’s prudent words, he continued to side with Duryodhana; his mind had become ‘vṛthā’—ineffective and misguided.