युद्धाय क्षत्रियः सृष्टः संजयेह जयाय च ॥
क्रूराय कर्मणे नित्यं प्रजानां परिपालने ॥
जयन् वा वध्यमानो वा प्राप्नोतीन्द्रसलोकताम् ॥
न शक्रभवने पुण्ये दिवि तद् विद्यते सुखम् ॥
यद् अमित्रान् वशे कृत्वा क्षत्रियः सुखम् अश्नुते ॥
मन्युना दह्यमानेन पुरुषेण मनस्विना ॥
निकृतेनेह बहुशः शत्रून् प्रतिजिगीषया ॥
आत्मानं वा परित्यज्य शत्रून् वा विनिपात्य वै ॥
अतो ऽन्येन प्रकारेण शान्तिर् अस्य कुतो भवेत् ॥
इह प्राज्ञो हि पुरुषः स्वल्पम् अप्रियम् इच्छति ॥
यस्य स्वल्पं प्रियं लोके ध्रुवं तस्याल्पम् अप्रियम् ॥
yuddhāya kṣatriyaḥ sṛṣṭaḥ saṃjayeha jayāya ca ||
krūrāya karmaṇe nityaṃ prajānāṃ paripālane ||
jayan vā vadhyamāno vā prāpnotīndrasalokatām ||
na śakrabhavane puṇye divi tad vidyate sukham ||
yad amitrān vaśe kṛtvā kṣatriyaḥ sukham aśnute ||
manyunā dahyamānena puruṣeṇa manasvinā ||
nikṛteneha bahuśaḥ śatrūn pratijigīṣayā ||
ātmānaṃ vā parityajya śatrūn vā vinipātya vai ||
ato 'nyena prakāreṇa śāntir asya kuto bhavet ||
iha prājño hi puruṣaḥ svalpam apriyam icchati ||
yasya svalpaṃ priyaṃ loke dhruvaṃ tasyālpam apriyam ||
"The kshatriya is created here for war, O Sanjaya, and for victory; he is destined for the harsh task of ceaselessly protecting his subjects. Whether conquering or slain, he attains the world of Indra. Even in the blessed abode of Shakra in heaven there is no happiness equal to what the kshatriya feels upon subduing his enemies. When a resolute man, burning with wrath and many times humiliated here, seeks to conquer his enemies, he must either sacrifice himself or bring his enemies down. By what other means could he find peace? In this world the wise man wishes for little that is unpleasant: whoever has little that is pleasant in the world inevitably has little that is unpleasant as well."
e04924afaba8 · published Jul 17, 2026, 5:59:56 AM UTC
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In this part, Vidura joins harsh kshatriya speech with practical statecraft. She does not merely shame her son, but teaches him to see the impermanence of fortune, to gather allies, to act at the right time, and to turn even enemies into support for restoring the kingdom.