Mahabharata · 2.45.51–52
॥
Devanāgarī
सो ऽभिगम्य महात्मानं भ्राता भ्रातरम् अग्रजम् ॥
मूर्ध्ना प्रणम्य चरणाव् इदं वचनम् अब्रवीत् ॥
नाभिनन्दामि ते राजन् व्यवसायम् इमं प्रभो ॥
पुत्रैर् भेदो यथा न स्याद् द्यूतहेतोस् तथा कुरु ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
so 'bhigamya mahātmānaṃ bhrātā bhrātaram agrajam ||
mūrdhnā praṇamya caraṇāv idaṃ vacanam abravīt ||
nābhinandāmi te rājan vyavasāyam imaṃ prabho ||
putrair bhedo yathā na syād dyūtahetos tathā kuru ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सो अभिगम्य महात्मानंso abhigamya mahātmānaṃhe, having approached the great-souled one,
भ्राता भ्रातरम् अग्रजम्bhrātā bhrātaram agrajambrother to elder brother,
मूर्ध्ना प्रणम्य चरणाव्mūrdhnā praṇamya caraṇāvhaving bowed his head to [his] feet,
इदं वचनम् अब्रवीत्idaṃ vacanam abravītsaid this word:
न अभिनन्दामि ते राजन्na abhinandāmi te rājan"I do not approve, O king,
व्यवसायम् इमं प्रभोvyavasāyam imaṃ prabhoof this your resolve, O lord;
पुत्रैर् भेदो यथा न स्याद्putrair bhedo yathā na syādso that discord among the sons
द्यूत-हेतोस् तथा कुरुdyūta-hetos tathā kurumay not arise on account of gambling, act thus."
ऽभिगम्य'bhigamyaoriginal form "'bhigamya", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नाभिनन्दामिnābhinandāmioriginal form "nābhinandāmi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
द्यूतहेतोस्dyūtahetosoriginal form "dyūtahetos", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
Approaching his great-souled elder brother and bowing his head to his feet, he spoke this word: "I do not approve, O king, O lord, of this resolve of yours; act so that no discord may arise among the sons on account of gambling."
Version
2c8352b85930 · published Jul 16, 2026, 3:49:22 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Even in rebuke Vidura keeps his reverence: he bows to his elder brother's feet before saying "I do not approve." It is telling that truth does not do away with courtesy — the wise man speaks a bitter word, yet without insolence, honoring the rank of the one he admonishes. The verse teaches how one ought to admonish a superior: firm in substance, humble in address. And the warning itself strikes at the root — "that discord among the sons may not arise": Vidura sees not the game but the war it leads to. A true counselor warns not of a nearby inconvenience but of a distant calamity; he sees the fruit within the seed. But can the far-sighted be heard by one blinded by a nearer attachment?