वैशंपायन उवाच
वनं प्रविष्टेष्व् अथ पाण्डवेषु; प्रज्ञाचक्षुस् तप्यमानो ऽम्बिकेयः ॥
धर्मात्मानं विदुरम् अगाधबुद्धिं; सुखासीनो वाक्यम् उवाच राजा ॥
प्रज्ञा च ते भार्गवस्येव शुद्धा; धर्मं च त्वं परमं वेत्थ सूक्ष्मम् ॥
समश् च त्वं संमतः कौरवाणां; पथ्यं चैषां मम चैव ब्रवीहि ॥
एवं गते विदुर यद् अद्य कार्यं; पौराश् चेमे कथम् अस्मान् भजेरन् ॥
ते चाप्य् अस्मान् नोद्धरेयुः समूलान्; न कामये तांश् च विनश्यमानान् ॥
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
vanaṃ praviṣṭeṣv atha pāṇḍaveṣu; prajñācakṣus tapyamāno 'mbikeyaḥ ||
dharmātmānaṃ viduram agādhabuddhiṃ; sukhāsīno vākyam uvāca rājā ||
prajñā ca te bhārgavasyeva śuddhā; dharmaṃ ca tvaṃ paramaṃ vettha sūkṣmam ||
samaś ca tvaṃ saṃmataḥ kauravāṇāṃ; pathyaṃ caiṣāṃ mama caiva bravīhi ||
evaṃ gate vidura yad adya kāryaṃ; paurāś ceme katham asmān bhajeran ||
te cāpy asmān noddhareyuḥ samūlān; na kāmaye tāṃś ca vinaśyamānān ||
When the Pandavas had entered the forest, Dhritarashtra, son of Ambika, tormented by anxiety, sitting at ease, spoke to righteous Vidura of unfathomable wisdom: ‘Your mind is pure, like that of Bhargava; you know the highest, subtle dharma. You are equally honored by the Kauravas. Tell me what is beneficial for them and for me. What should now be done, Vidura, and how will the citizens regard us? Let them not tear us out by the root; I wish destruction for neither them nor us.’
8036c5b4b51a · published Jul 16, 2026, 4:33:28 PM UTC
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Dhritarashtra asks about benefit, but is not yet ready to hear its price. Here lies his tragedy: he understands that dharma is needed, yet his heart is already bound by partiality toward his son.