Shloka 58

Ārjava, Satya, and the Virocana–Sudhanvan Exemplum

Udyoga-parva 35

Devanagari script

सम्पन्न गोषु सम्भाव्यं सम्भाव॒य॑ ब्राह्मणे तप: । सम्भाव्यं॑ चापल स्त्रीषु सम्भाव्यं ज्ञातितो भसम्‌

Transliteration

sampanna goṣu sambhāvyaṃ sambhāvaya brāhmaṇe tapaḥ | sambhāvyaṃ cāpalaṃ strīṣu sambhāvyaṃ jñātito bhayam ||

Translation

毗度罗说：“正如善养之牛自当有乳，婆罗门自当有苦行，少艾女子自当多变；同样，祸患与恐惧也可能竟出自自家亲族。故智者常怀警觉，不因血缘之情便弃却谨慎。”

Word by Word

• सम्पन्नम्: abundance/that which is present (plentiful)
• सम्पन्नम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्पन्न (सम्+पद्/पन्न)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• गोषु: in cows
• गोषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• सम्भाव्यम्: likely/possible
• सम्भाव्यम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्भाव्य (सम्+भू धातु से भाव्य/यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सम्भावय: consider/expect (you should deem)
• सम्भावय: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+भू (सम्भावयति)
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular

• ब्राह्मणे: in a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सम्भाव्यम्: likely/possible
• सम्भाव्यम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्भाव्य (सम्+भू धातु से भाव्य/यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपलस्त्रीषु: in fickle/unstable women
• अपलस्त्रीषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपला-स्त्री (अपला + स्त्री)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• सम्भाव्यम्: likely/possible
• सम्भाव्यम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्भाव्य (सम्+भू धातु से भाव्य/यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• ज्ञातितः: from kinsmen/relatives
• ज्ञातितः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञाति
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• cows (go)
• brāhmaṇa
• women (striyaḥ)
• kinsmen/relatives (jñātayaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Do not assume safety merely because someone is a relative; human tendencies and political realities make harm from one’s own circle possible, so one should act with discernment and caution.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers hard-headed moral and political counsel during the tense pre-war negotiations, warning that even kinship bonds may not prevent hostility and betrayal.