Shloka 44

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 34 — Vidura’s Counsel on Deliberation, Speech-Discipline, and Dharmic Kingship

Devanagari script

सामुद्रिकं वणिजं चोरपूर्व शलाकधूर्त॑ च चिकित्सकं च | अरिं च मित्र च कुशीलवं च नैतान्‌ साक्ष्ये त्वधिकुर्वीत सप्त,हस्तरेखा देखनेवाला, चोरी करके व्यापार करनेवाला, जुआरी, वैद्य, शत्रु, मित्र और नर्तक--इन सातोंको कभी भी गवाह न बनावे

Transliteration

sāmudrikaṁ vaṇijaṁ corapūrvaṁ śalākadhūrtaṁ ca cikitsakaṁ ca | ariṁ ca mitraṁ ca kuśīlavaṁ ca naitān sākṣye tv adhikurvīta sapta ||

Translation

毗度罗告诫：凡需作证之事，不可任用七类人为证人——相面者或看手相者、曾以盗窃为业的商贾、善于诡诈的赌徒、医者、仇敌、朋友，以及以歌舞伎艺为生的艺人。

Word by Word

सामुद्रिकम्one skilled in palmistry/physiognomy (lit. ‘oceanic marks’ expert)

वणिजम्merchant/trader

चand

चोरपूर्वम्one whose prior conduct is theft / a thief by habit

शलाकधूर्तम्dice-cheat/gambler (lit. ‘rod/dice’ rogue)

चand

चिकित्सकम्physician

चand

अरिम्enemy

चand

मित्रम्friend

चand

कुशीलवम्actor/dancer/performer

चand

नnot

एतान्these (persons)

साक्ष्येin testimony / as witnesses

तुbut/indeed

अधिकुर्वीतshould appoint/should employ (as)

सप्तseven

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vidura

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?

A witness must be free from strong bias and from habits or livelihoods associated with deception; therefore certain categories—enemy, friend, gambler/cheat, thief-turned-merchant, and others—should be excluded to safeguard impartial justice.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Vidura’s counsel on dharma and governance during the Udyoga Parva, he lays down practical rules for legal procedure, specifying which kinds of people should not be accepted as witnesses in disputes.