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Mahabharata
Dyūta-parva (duryodhana-vidura-saṃvāda) (Duryodhana Rejects Vidura)2.57.9–12
2623 / 15823
Mahabharata · 2.57.9–12
॥
Devanāgarī

भिनत्ति शिरसा शैलम् अहिं भोजयते च यः ॥
स एव तस्य कुरुते कार्याणाम् अनुशासनम् ॥
यो बलाद् अनुशास्तीह सो ऽमित्रं तेन विन्दति ॥
मित्रताम् अनुवृत्तं तु समुपेक्षेत पण्डितः ॥
प्रदीप्य यः प्रदीप्ताग्निं प्राक् त्वरन् नाभिधावति ॥
भस्मापि न स विन्देत शिष्टं क्व चन भारत ॥
न वासयेत् पारवर्ग्यं द्विषन्तं; विशेषतः क्षत्तर् अहितं मनुष्यम् ॥
स यत्रेच्छसि विदुर तत्र गच्छ; सुसान्त्वितापि ह्य् असती स्त्री जहाति ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

bhinatti śirasā śailam ahiṃ bhojayate ca yaḥ ||
sa eva tasya kurute kāryāṇām anuśāsanam ||
yo balād anuśāstīha so 'mitraṃ tena vindati ||
mitratām anuvṛttaṃ tu samupekṣeta paṇḍitaḥ ||
pradīpya yaḥ pradīptāgniṃ prāk tvaran nābhidhāvati ||
bhasmāpi na sa vindeta śiṣṭaṃ kva cana bhārata ||
na vāsayet pāravargyaṃ dviṣantaṃ; viśeṣataḥ kṣattar ahitaṃ manuṣyam ||
sa yatrecchasi vidura tatra gaccha; susāntvitāpi hy asatī strī jahāti ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
भिनत्ति शिरसा शैलम्bhinatti śirasā śailam"whoever [wants] to split a rock with his head,
अहिं भोजयते च यःahiṃ bhojayate ca yaḥor feed a serpent,
स एव तस्य कुरुतेsa eva tasya kurutehe only [vainly] performs
कार्याणाम् अनुशासनम्kāryāṇām anuśāsanamthe 'management' of its affairs;
यो बलाद् अनुशास्ति इहyo balād anuśāsti ihawhoever instructs here by force,
सो ऽमित्रं तेन विन्दतिso 'mitraṃ tena vindatithereby gains an enemy;
मित्रताम् अनुवृत्तं तुmitratām anuvṛttaṃ tubut the one who follows in friendship
समुपेक्षेत पण्डितःsamupekṣeta paṇḍitaḥa wise man would leave [in peace];
प्रदीप्य यः प्रदीप्त-अग्निंpradīpya yaḥ pradīpta-agniṃwhoever, having kindled a blazing fire,
प्राक् त्वरन् न अभिधावतिprāk tvaran na abhidhāvatidoes not run first [to put it out],
भस्मापि न स विन्देतbhasmāpi na sa vindetawill not find even ashes
शिष्टं क्व चन भारतśiṣṭaṃ kva cana bhārataleft anywhere, O Bharata;
न वासयेत् पारवर्ग्यं द्विषन्तंna vāsayet pāravargyaṃ dviṣantaṃone must not keep a hostile man from a rival camp,
विशेषतः क्षत्तर् अहितं मनुष्यम्viśeṣataḥ kṣattar ahitaṃ manuṣyamespecially an enemy, Kshattri;
स यत्र इच्छसि विदुर तत्र गच्छsa yatra icchasi vidura tatra gacchago wherever you wish, Vidura;
सु-सान्त्विता अपि ह्य् असती स्त्री जहातिsu-sāntvitā api hy asatī strī jahātifor even a well-placated, unfaithful wife leaves."
अनुशास्तीहanuśāstīhaoriginal form "anuśāstīha", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
प्रदीप्ताग्निंpradīptāgniṃoriginal form "pradīptāgniṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नाभिधावतिnābhidhāvatioriginal form "nābhidhāvati", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
यत्रेच्छसिyatrecchasioriginal form "yatrecchasi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सुसान्त्वितापिsusāntvitāpioriginal form "susāntvitāpi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation

[Duryodhana:] "Whoever wants to split a rock with his head, or to feed a serpent, only vainly 'manages' its affairs. Whoever instructs by force gains an enemy thereby; but the wise would leave in peace one who follows in friendship. Whoever, having kindled a blazing fire, does not run first to put it out, will not find even the ashes left anywhere, O Bharata. One must not keep a hostile man from a rival camp in one's house, especially an enemy, Kshattri; go wherever you wish, Vidura; for even a well-placated, unfaithful wife leaves her husband."

Version

524c0b503b4a · published Jul 16, 2026, 4:03:37 PM UTC

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