समृद्धिर् असमृद्धिर् वा पूर्वेषां मम संजय ॥
एवं विद्वान् युद्धमना भव मा प्रत्युपाहर ॥
नातः पापीयसीं कां चिद् अवस्थां शम्बरो ऽब्रवीत् ॥
यत्र नैवाद्य न प्रातर् भोजनं प्रतिदृश्यते ॥
पतिपुत्रवधाद् एतत् परमं दुःखम् अब्रवीत् ॥
दारिद्र्यम् इति यत् प्रोक्तं पर्यायमरणं हि तत् ॥
अहं महाकुले जाता ह्रदाद् ध्रदम् इवागता ॥
ईश्वरी सर्वकल्याणैर् भर्त्रा परमपूजिता ॥
महार्हमाल्याभरणां सुमृष्टाम्बरवाससम् ॥
पुरा दृष्ट्वा सुहृद्वर्गो माम् अपश्यत् सुदुर्गताम् ॥
samṛddhir asamṛddhir vā pūrveṣāṃ mama saṃjaya ||
evaṃ vidvān yuddhamanā bhava mā pratyupāhara ||
nātaḥ pāpīyasīṃ kāṃ cid avasthāṃ śambaro 'bravīt ||
yatra naivādya na prātar bhojanaṃ pratidṛśyate ||
patiputravadhād etat paramaṃ duḥkham abravīt ||
dāridryam iti yat proktaṃ paryāyamaraṇaṃ hi tat ||
ahaṃ mahākule jātā hradād dhradam ivāgatā ||
īśvarī sarvakalyāṇair bhartrā paramapūjitā ||
mahārhamālyābharaṇāṃ sumṛṣṭāmbaravāsasam ||
purā dṛṣṭvā suhṛdvargo mām apaśyat sudurgatām ||
‘Whether prosperity or poverty was our ancestors’ lot, O Sanjaya — know this, and set your mind on war; do not retreat. Shambara said that there is no condition worse than one in which neither today nor tomorrow morning is food to be seen. He said that poverty is worse than the death of a husband or son: what is called poverty is a death repeated again and again. I was born into a great family, as though passing from one lake into another; I was a mistress endowed with every blessing, deeply honored by my husband. Once my circle of friends saw me adorned with precious garlands and ornaments, in clean and beautiful garments; now let them not see me fallen into utter misfortune.’
b67cee2966b3 · published Jul 17, 2026, 5:59:56 AM UTC
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Vidura continues to instruct his son in the spirit of kshatriya dharma: a life without dignity, without support for one's own people, and without readiness to act becomes a slow death. Strength here is needed not for the sake of pride, but for the protection of family, duty, and rightful standing.