पुरूरवसम् ऐलं त्वं बुद्ध्या जयसि पाण्डव ॥
शक्त्या जयसि राज्ञो ऽन्यान् ऋषीन् धर्मोपसेवया ॥
ऐन्द्रे जये धृतमना याम्ये कोपविधारणे ॥
विसर्गे चैव कौबेरे वारुणे चैव संयमे ॥
आत्मप्रदानं सौम्यत्वम् अद्भ्यश् चैवोपजीवनम् ॥
भूमेः क्षमा च तेजश् च समग्रं सूर्यमण्डलात् ॥
वायोर् बलं विद्धि स त्वं भूतेभ्यश् चात्मसंभवम् ॥
अगदं वो ऽस्तु भद्रं वो द्रक्ष्यामि पुनरागतान् ॥
purūravasam ailaṃ tvaṃ buddhyā jayasi pāṇḍava ||
śaktyā jayasi rājño 'nyān ṛṣīn dharmopasevayā ||
aindre jaye dhṛtamanā yāmye kopavidhāraṇe ||
visarge caiva kaubere vāruṇe caiva saṃyame ||
ātmapradānaṃ saumyatvam adbhyaś caivopajīvanam ||
bhūmeḥ kṣamā ca tejaś ca samagraṃ sūryamaṇḍalāt ||
vāyor balaṃ viddhi sa tvaṃ bhūtebhyaś cātmasaṃbhavam ||
agadaṃ vo 'stu bhadraṃ vo drakṣyāmi punarāgatān ||
[Vidura:] 'You surpass Pururavas, son of Ila, in wisdom, O Pandava; in strength you surpass other kings, and the sages — in devotion to dharma. In victory be steadfast like Indra; in restraining anger — like Yama; in giving — like Kubera; in self-restraint — like Varuna. Take self-giving and gentleness from the waters, and from them likewise sustenance; from the earth — forbearance, and total radiance from the solar disk. Know strength from the wind, and from all beings — self-being. May you have health, may you have well-being; I shall see you returned.'
ad9355a693a2 · published Jul 16, 2026, 4:12:36 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Vidura composes an image of the perfect sovereign out of the qualities of gods and elements: the firmness of Indra, the restraint of anger of Yama, the generosity of Kubera, the self-mastery of Varuna, the patience of the earth, the radiance of the sun, the strength of the wind. Thus true kingship is not power over others but, first of all, power over oneself and harmony with the order of the universe. It is telling that in the bitterest hour Vidura teaches not vengeance but likeness to the benevolent powers of creation: let exile become a school of virtues. The verse teaches that a ruler’s worth lies in the sum of his virtues, not in possession of a throne; that wisdom draws its lessons from nature itself, reading in the elements an image of what ought to be; and that years of trial are appointed not for bitterness but for growth in those perfections by which the world is upheld.