Mahābhārata · 1.101.27–28
॥
Devanāgarī
वैशंपायन उवाच
एतेन त्व् अपराधेन शापात् तस्य महात्मनः ॥
धर्मो विदुररूपेण शूद्रयोनाव् अजायत ॥
धर्मे चार्थे च कुशलो लोभक्रोधविवर्जितः ॥
दीर्घदर्शी शमपरः कुरूणां च हिते रतः ॥
Transliteración (IAST)
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
etena tv aparādhena śāpāt tasya mahātmanaḥ ||
dharmo vidurarūpeṇa śūdrayonāv ajāyata ||
dharme cārthe ca kuśalo lobhakrodhavivarjitaḥ ||
dīrghadarśī śamaparaḥ kurūṇāṃ ca hite rataḥ ||
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
एतेन तु अपराधेन शापात् तस्य महात्मनःetena tu aparādhena śāpāt tasya mahātmanaḥand so, by this offense, by the curse of that great soul,
धर्मः विदुररूपेण शूद्रयोनौ अजायतdharmaḥ vidurarūpeṇa śūdrayonau ajāyataDharma was born as Vidura in the womb of a shudra
धर्मे च अर्थे च कुशलः लोभक्रोधविवर्जितःdharme ca arthe ca kuśalaḥ lobhakrodhavivarjitaḥskilled in dharma and artha, free from greed and anger
दीर्घदर्शी शमपरः कुरूणां च हिते रतःdīrghadarśī śamaparaḥ kurūṇāṃ ca hite rataḥfarsighted, devoted to tranquility, intent on the welfare of the Kurus
वैशंपायनvaiśaṃpāyanaoriginal form "vaiśaṃpāyana", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
त्व्tvoriginal form "tv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
धर्मोdharmooriginal form "dharmo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
शूद्रयोनाव्śūdrayonāvoriginal form "śūdrayonāv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चार्थेcārtheoriginal form "cārthe", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कुशलोkuśalooriginal form "kuśalo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Traducción
'And so, through this offense, by the curse of that great soul, Dharma was born in the form of Vidura in the womb of a shudra — skilled in dharma and in statecraft, free from greed and anger, farsighted, devoted to tranquility, intent on the welfare of the Kurus.'
Versión
cbf4e60a0be2 · publicado 12 jul 2026, 16:30:26 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
Here the tale concludes, answering Janamejaya's question: this is why the god Dharma himself was born in the womb of a shudra — as Vidura. It is significant that low birth held within it the highest essence: born of a slave woman, reckoned among the shudras, Vidura is the very embodiment of Dharma. Here is a cherished truth of the scriptures: worth is determined not by birth but by qualities (guṇa) and deeds (karma); one who is a shudra by birth may stand higher than a brahmin in spirit. The enumeration of Vidura's virtues is telling: skilled in dharma and artha, free from greed and anger, farsighted, devoted to peace, intent on the welfare of his line — this is the image of the perfect righteous counselor. Vidura is a great devotee, whose teachings (Vidura-niti) shine with wisdom, and whom the Lord Krishna Himself visited, partaking of his humble food offered with love, while refusing the delicacies of Duryodhana. Thus the story of Mandavya not only explains the birth of Vidura but reveals two great lessons of the epic: the inescapable proportionality of karma, and the truth that real nobility lies in the qualities of the heart, not in social rank. And onto the stage of the coming drama of the Kurus steps its wisest and purest witness — Vidura, the voice of dharma amid blindness and passion.