Shloka 26

Ārjava, Satya, and the Virocana–Sudhanvan Exemplum

Udyoga-parva 35

Devanagari script

देवद्रव्यविनाशेन ब्रह्मस्वहरणेन च । कुलान्यकुलतां यान्ति ब्राह्म॒णातिक्रमेण च,देवताओंके धनका नाश, ब्राह्मणके धनका अपहरण और ब्राह्मणोंकी मर्यादाका उल्लंघन करनेसे उत्तम कुल भी अधम हो जाते हैं

Transliteration

devadravyavināśena brahmasvaharaṇena ca | kulāny akulatāṁ yānti brāhmaṇātikrameṇa ca ||

Translation

Vidura cảnh báo: Khi của cải dâng cúng cho thần linh bị phung phá, khi tài sản của Bà-la-môn bị chiếm đoạt, và khi phẩm giá cùng giới hạn đáng kính đối với Bà-la-môn bị xâm phạm, thì nền tảng đạo lý của cả dòng tộc—dẫu cao quý đến đâu—cũng sụp đổ, biến thành suy đồi.

Word by Word

देवद्रव्यविनाशेनby the destruction of property belonging to the gods

ब्रह्मस्वहरणेनby the taking away of Brahmin property

चand

कुलानिfamilies, lineages

अकुलताम्to a state of being without (good) lineage; ignobility

यान्तिgo, become, fall into

ब्राह्मणातिक्रमेणby transgression against Brahmins

चand

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

devas (gods) (implicit via devadravya)

Brahmins (brāhmaṇa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Vidura teaches that violating sacred trust—misusing offerings meant for the gods, stealing Brahmin property, and disrespecting Brahmins—destroys a family’s moral legitimacy. Lineage and reputation endure only when dharma is protected in matters of wealth, worship, and social restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva, Vidura counsels the Kuru court during the tense pre-war negotiations. Here he delivers a moral warning: certain transgressions, especially against sacred endowments and Brahmins, bring collective decline upon even eminent families.