दुर्योधन उवाच परेषामेव यशसा श्लाघसे त्वं सदा क्षत्तः कुत्सयन् धार्तराष्ट्रान्। जानीमहे विदुर यत् प्रियस्त्वं बालानिवास्मानवमन्यसे नित्यमेव॥
Duryodhana said O Khattwa, you are always boasting of the fame of our foes. You always depreciate the sons of Dhritarashtra. O Vidura, we know whose friend you really are. You always disregard us as if we are children.
स विज्ञेयः पुरुषोऽन्यत्रकामो निन्दाप्रशंसे हि तथा युनक्ति। जिह्वा कथं ते हृदयं व्यनक्ति यो न ज्यायसः कृथा मनसः प्रातिकूल्यम्॥
That man who wishes for the success of those that are dear to him and defeat of those that are not dear to him stands confessed. He is known by his praise and blame. Your tongue and mind betray your heart.
उत्सङ्गे च व्याल इवाहितोऽसि मार्जारवत् पोषकं चोपहंसि। स्तस्मात् क्षत्तः किं न बिभेषि पापात्॥
You are kept by us on our lap as a serpent. Like a cat you wish to injure him who cherishes you. The wise men have said that there is no sin greater than that of injuring one's supporter. O Khattwa, how is it that you do not fear sin?
जित्वा शत्रून् फलमाप्तं महद् वै मास्मान् क्षत्तः परुषाणीह वोचः। द्विषद्भिस्त्वं सम्प्रयोगाभिनन्दी मुहुर्द्वषं यासि नः सम्प्रयोगात्॥
O Khattwa, having vanquished our enemies we have gained great advantage. Do not use harsh words towards us. You are always willing to make friendship with the foes, and it is for this reason that you always hate us.
अमित्रतां याति नरोऽक्षमं ब्रुवन् निगूहते गुह्यममित्रसंस्तवे। तदाश्रितोऽपत्रप किं नु बाधसे यदिच्छसि त्वं तदिहाभिभाषसे॥
A man becomes a foe by speaking words that are unpardonable. In praising the enemy, the secrets of one's own party is never to be divulged. Therefore, O shameless man, why do you obstruct us in this way? You are speaking whatever comes to your mind.
मा नोऽवमंस्था विद्म मनस्तवेदं शिक्षस्व बुद्धिं स्थविराणां सकाशात्। यशो रक्षस्व विदुर सम्प्रणीतं मा व्यापृतः परकार्येषु भूस्त्वम्॥
O Vidura, do not disregard us; we know your mind. Go, learn sitting at the feet of the old. Save the reputation that you have won. Do not middle with other men's affairs.
अहं कर्तेति विदुर मा च मंस्था मा नो नित्यं परुषाणीह वोचः। न त्वां पृच्छामि विदुर यद्धितं मे स्वस्ति क्षत्तर्मा तितिक्षून् क्षिणु त्वम्॥
O Vidura, do not disregard us. Imagining that you are our master, do not always tell us harsh words. O Vidura, we do not ask you (to say) what is for our good. O Khattwa, do not irritate those that have already suffered much (at your hand),
एकः शास्ता न द्वितीयोऽस्ति शास्ता गर्भे शयानं पुरुषं शास्ति शास्ता। तेनानुशिष्टः प्रवणादिवाम्भो यथा नियुक्तोऽस्मि तथा भवामि॥
There is but one controller (of men's Destiny), and there is no second. He controls even (the Destiny of the child which is in its mother's womb. I am controlled by Him. Like water that always flows in a downward course, I am acting in the way. He is directing me.
भिनत्ति शिरसा शैलमहिं भोजयते च यः। धीरेव कुरुते तस्य कार्याणामनुशासनम्। यो बलादनुशास्तीह सोऽमित्रं तेन विन्दति॥
He also breaks his head against a stonewall and he that feeds a serpent, is guided in those acts of his by his own reason. He who wants to control another by force becomes his enemy.
मित्रतामनुवृत्तं तु समुपेक्षेत पण्डितः। प्रदीप्य यः प्रदीप्ताग्नि प्राक् चिरं नाभिधावति। भस्मापि न स विन्देत शिष्टं क्वचन भारत॥
When advice is offered in a friendly spirit, the learned man does not (very much) mind it. O descendant of Bharata, he who sets fire to such a highly inflammable object as camphor, can not see its ashes, if he does not hasten to extinguish the fire.
न वासयेत् पारवर्यं द्विषन्तं विशेषतः क्षत्तरहितं मनुष्यम्। स यत्रेच्छसि विदुर तत्र गच्छ सुसान्त्विता ह्यसती स्त्री जहाति॥
O be should not give shelter to one who is a friend of his enemy, or to one who is always jealous of his protector. O Vidura, therefore go away wherever you like. An unchaste wife, however well-treated, (always) forsakes her husband.
विदुर उवाच एतावता पुरुषं ये त्यजन्ति तेषां वृत्तं साक्षिवद् ब्रूहि राजन्। राज्ञां हि चित्तानि परिप्लुतानि सान्त्वं दत्त्वा मुसलैर्घातयन्ति॥
Vidura said O king, tell us (impartially) like a witness what you think of the conduct of those who abandon men that give them such instruction (as I give you). The hearts of kings are unsteady. Granting protection first, they strike with clubs afterwards.
अबालत्वं मन्यसे राजपुत्र बालोऽहमित्येव सुमन्दबुद्धे। यः सौहदे पुरुषं स्थापयित्वा पश्चादेनं दूषयते स बालः॥
O princes, you regard yourself as mature in intellect. O wicked hearted man, you consider me a child. But consider him a child who, having first accepted one as a friend, afterwards finds fault with him.
न श्रेयसे नीयते मन्दबुद्धिः स्त्री श्रोत्रियस्येव गृहे प्रदुष्टा। ध्रुवं न रोचेद् भरतषभस्य पतिः कुमार्या इव षष्टिवर्षः॥
Like an unchaste wife in the house of a well-born man, a wicked-minded man can never be brought to the path of rectitude. As a husband of sixty years can never be agreeable to a young wife, so instruction is not agreeable to this chief of the Bharata race.
अतः प्रियं चेतदनुकाक्षसे त्वं सर्वेषु कार्येषु हिताहितेषु। स्त्रियश्च राजञ्जडपङ्गुकांच पृच्छ त्वं वै तादृशांश्चैव सर्वान्॥
O king, if you hereafter wish to hear words that are agreeable to you as regards all good or bad acts, you should ask (for it to) women, idiots, cripples or all persons of such descriptions.
लभ्यते खलु पापीयान् नरो नु प्रियवागिह। अप्रियस्य हि पथ्यस्य वक्ता श्रोता च दुर्लभः॥
Many sinful men who speak agreeable words may be had in this world, but a man, who will speak words that are disagreeable through fit as regimen or a man who will hear such words, is very rare.
यस्तु धर्मपरश्च स्याद्धित्वा भर्तुः प्रियाप्रिये। अप्रियाण्याह पथ्यानि तेन राजा सहायवान्॥
He is a king's true friend who, disregarding what is agreeable or disagreeable to his master, conducts himself virtuously and utters what may be disagreeable, but what may be required as regimen.
अव्याधिजं कटुजं तीक्ष्णमुष्णं यशोमुषं परुषं पूतिगन्धि। सतां पेयं यन्न पिबन्त्यसन्तो मन्युं महाराज पिब प्रशाम्य॥
O great king, drink that which is drunk by the honest and shunned by the dishonest, that (drink of) humility which is like a medicine that is bitter, pungent, burning, unintoxicating, disagreeable and revolting. Drinking it (humility), regain your sobriety.
वैचित्रवीर्यस्य यशो धनं च वाञ्छाम्यहं सहपुत्रस्य शश्वत्। यथा तथा तेऽस्तु नमश्च तेऽस्तु ममापि च स्वस्ति दिशन्तु विप्राः॥
I always wish prosperity and affluence to the son of Vichitravirya (Dhritarashtra) and his sons. Happen what may to you, here I bow to you. Let the Brahmanas wish me sell.
आशीविषान् नेत्रविषान् कोपयेन च पण्डितः। एवं तेऽहं वदामीदं प्रयतः कुरुनन्दन॥
O descendant of Kuru, this is the moral I carefully inculcate, that the learned men should never enrage such adders as have venom in their eyes.