Shloka 13

विदुर-धृतराष्ट्रसंवादः

Vidura–Dhṛtarāṣṭra Dialogue on Rajadharma and Restitution

Devanagari script

मयाप्युक्तं यत्‌ क्षेमं कौरवाणां हित॑ पथ्य॑ धृतराष्ट्रस्य चैव । तद्‌ वै तस्मै न रुचाम भ्युपैति ततक्षाहं क्षेममन्यन्न मन्‍्ये,तब मैंने भी ऐसी बातें बतायीं जो सर्वधा उचित तथा कौरववंश एवं धृतराष्ट्रके लिये भी हितकर और लाभदायक थीं। वह बात उनको नहीं रुची और मैं उसके सिवा दूसरी कोई बात उचित नहीं समझता था

Transliteration

mayāpy uktaṃ yat kṣemaṃ kauravāṇāṃ hitaṃ pathyaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya caiva | tad vai tasmai na rucam abhyupaiti tataś cāhaṃ kṣemam anyan na manye ||

Translation

毗度罗说道：“我也曾说过能保全俱卢族（考罗婆）的安宁之道——那是有益、正当、并且也真正符合持国王（Dhṛtarāṣṭra）利益的忠告。然而他并不悦纳；除却那条道路之外，我不认为还有别的途径能使他们得以安全。”

Word by Word

• {'mayā api (मया अपि)': 'by me also

• I too', 'uktam (उक्तम्)': 'said

• spoken', 'yat (यत्)': 'which

• that which', 'kṣemam (क्षेमम्)': 'welfare, security, well-being', 'kauravāṇām (कौरवाणाम्)': 'of the Kauravas', 'hitam (हितम्)': 'beneficial

• in one’s interest', 'pathyam (पथ्यम्)': 'wholesome, salutary

• proper to follow', 'dhṛtarāṣṭrasya (धृतराष्ट्रस्य)': 'of Dhṛtarāṣṭra', 'ca eva (चैव)': 'and indeed

• and also', 'tat (तत्)': 'that (advice)', 'vai (वै)': 'indeed

• certainly', 'tasmai (तस्मै)': 'to him', 'na (न)': 'not', 'rucam (रुचम्)': 'liking, acceptance, approval', 'abhyupaiti (अभ्युपैति)': 'attains, meets with

• is accepted/approved', 'tataḥ (ततः)': 'therefore

• then', 'ca (च)': 'and', 'aham (अहम्)': 'I', 'anyat (अन्यत्)': 'other

• another', 'na manye (न मन्ये)': 'I do not think/consider'}

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Kauravas
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Right counsel must be measured by what is truly beneficial (hita, pathya, kṣema), not by what pleases a ruler. Vidura emphasizes that ethical, welfare-oriented advice remains correct even when rejected, and that abandoning it for expedient alternatives leads away from genuine security.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vidura reflects on having advised Dhṛtarāṣṭra in a way meant to secure the Kauravas’ well-being. Dhṛtarāṣṭra does not accept the advice, and Vidura states that he sees no other course that can truly bring safety—highlighting the king’s refusal to heed prudent, dharmic counsel.