Mahabharata · 5.133.36-37
॥
Devanāgarī
स्खलितार्थं पुनस् तात संत्यजन्त्य् अपि बान्धवाः ॥
अप्य् अस्मिन्न् आश्रयन्ते च जुगुप्सन्ति च तादृशम् ॥
शत्रुं कृत्वा यः सहायं विश्वासम् उपगच्छति ॥
अतः संभाव्यम् एवैतद् यद् राज्यं प्राप्नुयाद् इति ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
skhalitārthaṃ punas tāta saṃtyajanty api bāndhavāḥ ||
apy asminn āśrayante ca jugupsanti ca tādṛśam ||
śatruṃ kṛtvā yaḥ sahāyaṃ viśvāsam upagacchati ||
ataḥ saṃbhāvyam evaitad yad rājyaṃ prāpnuyād iti ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
स्खलितार्थंskhalitārthaṃone who has lost his fortune; one whose affairs have faltered
पुनस्punasagain; once more
तातtātadear one; my son
संत्यजन्त्य्saṃtyajantyabandon; forsake
अपिapieven; also
बान्धवाःbāndhavāḥkinsmen; protectors
अप्य्apyalso; even
अस्मिन्न्asminnto him; in him
आश्रयन्तेāśrayanteresort; seek refuge
चcaand; also
जुगुप्सन्तिjugupsantidespise; loathe
चcaand; also
तादृशम्tādṛśamsuch a one; one like that
शत्रुंśatruṃan enemy; a foe
कृत्वाkṛtvāhaving made; having turned
यःyaḥwho; whoever
सहायंsahāyaṃan ally; a helper
विश्वासम्viśvāsamtrust; confidence
उपगच्छतिupagacchatiarrives at; attains
अतःataḥtherefore; hence
संभाव्यम्saṃbhāvyamit may be expected; it is likely
एवैतद्evaitadprecisely this; this is so
यद्yadthat; which
राज्यंrājyaṃthe kingdom; the realm
प्राप्नुयाद्prāpnuyādwould obtain; would attain
इतिitithus; so
Translation
"My son, even kinsmen abandon one whose affairs have faltered; some still turn to him, yet that very man is also despised. But one who, having made an enemy his ally, comes to gain his trust, may for this very reason expect to obtain the kingdom."
Version
3f0815aeaaed · published Jul 17, 2026, 5:59:56 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
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.