Shloka 12

उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय 33: धृतराष्ट्र-विदुर संवादः (विदुरनीतिः)

Devanagari script

न राज्यं प्राप्तमित्येव वर्तितव्यमसाम्प्रतम्‌ । श्रियं हविनयो हन्ति जरा रूपमिवोत्तमम्‌

Transliteration

na rājyaṃ prāptam ity eva vartitavyam asāmpratam | śriyaṃ hīnāvinayo hanti jarā rūpam ivottamam ||

Translation

毗度罗说：“不可总以‘我尚未得国’之念而度日。此等无纪律、无谦卑之心，必毁其福泽，正如老迈摧残最上之美貌。”

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• राज्यम्: kingdom, sovereignty
• राज्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• प्राप्तम्: obtained, attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: past passive participle, neuter, accusative, singular

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• एव: indeed, just, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• वर्तितव्यम्: should be conducted/behaved (one should act)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: gerundive (tavya), neuter, nominative, singular, passive obligation

• असाम्प्रतम्: improper, not fitting (at present)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असाम्प्रत
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• श्रियम्: fortune, prosperity, splendor
• श्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• अविनयः: impropriety, lack of discipline
• अविनयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविनय
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• हन्ति: destroys, kills
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: present, indicative, third, singular, parasmaipada

• जरा: old age
• जरा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• रूपम्: form, beauty
• रूपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• उत्तमम्: excellent, best
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• rājya (kingdom)
• śrī (prosperity/fortune)
• jarā (old age)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Do not let grievance over not gaining power govern your conduct; lack of humility and discipline corrodes prosperity and standing, just as aging inevitably diminishes even great beauty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers moral-political counsel amid the tense pre-war negotiations, warning against resentful fixation on kingship and urging disciplined, humble conduct as the basis of lasting fortune.