Shloka 6

Vidura-nīti: Atithi-dharma, Trust, Counsel-Secrecy, and Traits of Sustainable Rule

Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 38

Devanagari script

न वृद्धिर्बहु मन्तव्या या वृद्धि: क्षयमावहेत्‌ । क्षयोडपि बहु मन्तव्यो य: क्षयो वृद्धिमावहेत्‌

Transliteration

na vṛddhir bahu mantavyā yā vṛddhiḥ kṣayam āvahet | kṣayo 'pi bahu mantavyo yaḥ kṣayo vṛddhim āvahet ||

Translation

凡能招致毁灭的增长，不可视为可贵；而能引来兴盛的损失，即便是损失，也当看作值得承受。

Word by Word

नnot

वृद्धिःincrease, prosperity

बहुmuch, greatly

मन्तव्याto be considered/esteemed

याwhich

वृद्धिःincrease

क्षयम्loss, decline, destruction

आवहेत्should bring about, would cause

क्षयःloss, decline

अपिeven, also

बहुmuch, greatly

मन्तव्यःto be considered/esteemed

यःwhich

क्षयःloss, decline

वृद्धिम्increase, prosperity

आवहेत्should bring about, would cause

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?

Evaluate outcomes, not appearances: prosperity is not truly desirable if it culminates in destruction, while a setback can be valuable if it becomes the means to lasting welfare and future prosperity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Udyoga Parva, Vidura offers counsel grounded in dharma and practical wisdom, warning against short-sighted choices and urging discernment about what kind of ‘gain’ or ‘loss’ should be accepted in the tense lead-up to conflict.