Shloka 20
Vidura-nīti: Atithi-dharma, Trust, Counsel-Secrecy, and Traits of Sustainable Rule
Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 38
विगुणा हाूपि संरक्ष्या ज्ञासयों भरतर्षभ । कि पुनर्गुणवन्तस्ते त्वत्प्रसादाभिकाड्क्षिण:,भरतश्रेष्ठ! अपने कुट॒म्बके लोग गुणहीन हों, तो भी उनकी रक्षा करनी चाहिये। फिर जो आपके कृपाभिलाषी एवं गुणवान् हैं, उनकी तो बात ही क्या है
viguṇā hāpi saṃrakṣyā jñāsayo bharatarṣabha | ki punarguṇavantaste tvatprasādābhikāṅkṣiṇaḥ ||
毗度罗说道：“噢婆罗多族中的雄牛啊，即便自家亲族无德无才，也当护持。更何况那些贤德之人，仰望你的恩泽与庇护者，岂不更应加以照拂？”
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler (and any householder) must protect dependents and relatives even if they lack virtues; therefore, the obligation is even stronger toward virtuous people who seek one’s patronage. The verse argues from the lesser duty to the greater (ki punar).
In Udyoga Parva, Vidura counsels the Kuru elder (addressed as Bharatarṣabha) on righteous conduct and statecraft. Here he urges protective responsibility toward one’s own people, reinforcing the ethical basis for just governance amid rising conflict.