पुत्र उवाच
कस्य त्व् ईदृशकं वाक्यं श्रुत्वापि स्वल्पचेतसः ॥
तमो न व्यपहन्येत सुचित्रार्थपदाक्षरम् ॥
उदके धूर् इयं धार्या सर्तव्यं प्रवणे मया ॥
यस्य मे भवती नेत्री भविष्यद् भूतदर्शिनी ॥
अहं हि वचनं त्वत्तः शुश्रूषुर् अपरापरम् ॥
किं चित् किं चित् प्रतिवदंस् तूष्णीम् आसं मुहुर् मुहुः ॥
अतृप्यन्न् अमृतस्येव कृच्छ्राल् लब्धस्य बान्धवात् ॥
उद्यच्छाम्य् एष शत्रूणां नियमाय जयाय च ॥
कुन्त्य् उवाच
सदश्व इव स क्षिप्तः प्रणुन्नो वाक्यसायकैः ॥
तच् चकार तथा सर्वं यथावद् अनुशासनम् ॥
putra uvāca
kasya tv īdṛśakaṃ vākyaṃ śrutvāpi svalpacetasaḥ ||
tamo na vyapahanyeta sucitrārthapadākṣaram ||
udake dhūr iyaṃ dhāryā sartavyaṃ pravaṇe mayā ||
yasya me bhavatī netrī bhaviṣyad bhūtadarśinī ||
ahaṃ hi vacanaṃ tvattaḥ śuśrūṣur aparāparam ||
kiṃ cit kiṃ cit prativadaṃs tūṣṇīm āsaṃ muhur muhuḥ ||
atṛpyann amṛtasyeva kṛcchrāl labdhasya bāndhavāt ||
udyacchāmy eṣa śatrūṇāṃ niyamāya jayāya ca ||
kunty uvāca
sadaśva iva sa kṣiptaḥ praṇunno vākyasāyakaiḥ ||
tac cakāra tathā sarvaṃ yathāvad anuśāsanam ||
The son said: 'In what man, however feeble of mind, would darkness not be dispelled on hearing such words, so beautifully wrought in meaning, in wording, and in syllable? If you, who see both the future and the past, will be my guide, I will bear this yoke across the water and pass over the perilous slope. Eager to hear your word again and again, I answered a little at a time and fell silent once more, never sated with it, as with nectar hard-won from a kinsman. Now I rise up to restrain my enemies and to win victory.' Kunti said: 'Like a good steed sent forth and spurred on by arrows of words, he carried out the whole instruction exactly as he should.'
2b3a5fc08083 · published Jul 17, 2026, 5:59:56 AM UTC
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The conclusion of the story of Vidula shows the practical side of kshatriya dharma: a ruler must not display brokenness, for his steadfastness determines his circle of allies, his kingdom, and his very capacity to restore order.