DYUTA PARVA: Chapter 66

The words of Vidura

दुर्योधन उवाच एहि क्षत्तौपदीमानयस्व प्रियां भार्यां सम्मतां पाण्डवानाम्। सम्मार्जतां वेश्म परैतु शीघ्रं तत्रास्तु दासीभिरपुण्यशीला॥
Duryodhana said Come Khattwa, bring here Draupadi, the dear and the beloved wife of the Pandavas. Let her be forced to sweep the chambers, and let the unfortunate women remain where our serving women are.

विदुर उवाचदुर्विभाष भाषितं त्वादृशेन न मन्द सम्बुध्यसि पाशबद्धः।प्रपाते त्वं लम्बमानो न वेत्सि व्याघ्रान् मृगः कोपयसेऽतिवेलम्॥
Vidura said O wicked man, do you not know that by uttering such words you are tying yourself with cords? Do you not feel that you are standing on the edge of the precipice? Do you not know that being but a deer you are provoking to anger so many tigers? ?

आशीविषास्ते शिरसि पूर्णकोपा महाविषाः। मा कोपिष्ठाः सुमन्दात्मन् मा गमस्त्वं यमक्षयम्॥
O greatly wicked-minded man, deadly venomous and angry snakes are on your head. Do not provoke them any further and go to the land of Yama.

न हि दासीत्वमापन्ना कृष्णा भवितुमर्हति। अनीशेन हि राज्ञैषा पणे न्यस्तेति मे मतिः॥
In my opinion the slavery cannot attach to Krishna (Draupadi), as she was staked by the king (Yudhisthira) after he lost himself and ceased to be his own master.

अयं धत्ते वेणुरिवात्मघाती फलं राजा धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रः। द्यूतं हि वैराय महाभयाय मत्तो न बुध्यत्ययमन्तकालम्॥
Like bamboo which bears fruits when it is about to die, this king, this son of Dhritarashtra, wins this treasure at play. Intoxicated (in play), he does not perceive in his these last moments what enmity and frightful terrors the dice bring in.

नारुन्तुदः स्यान्न नृशंसवादी न हीनतः परमभ्याददीत। ययास्य वाचा पर उद्विजेत न तां वदेदुषती पापलोक्याम्॥
No man should utter harsh words, and thus pierce the heart of others. No man should subjugate his enemies by dice and by such other foul means. No one should utter such words, as give pain and lead men to hell and annoys others.

समुच्चरन्त्यतिवादाश्च वक्त्राद् पैराहतः शोचति रात्र्यहानि। परस्य नामर्मसु ते पतन्त तान् पण्डितो नावसृजेत् परेषु॥
One man utters from his lips words that are harsh. Stung by them the other burns day and night. Those words pierce the very heart of another. Therefore, the learned men should never utter such (harsh) words towards others.

अजो हि शस्त्रमगिलत् किलैकः शस्त्रे विपन्ने शिरसास्य भूमौ। निकृन्तनं स्वस्य कण्दस्य घोरं तद्वद् वैरं मा कृथाः पाण्डुपुत्रैः॥
Once at a time a goat swallowed a hook, and when it was pierced with it, the hunter placed its head on the ground and frightfully tore its throat in drawing it out. Like it do not create a terrible enmity with the Pandavas.

न किंचिदित्थं प्रवदन्ति पार्था वनेचरं वा गृहमेधिनं वा। तपस्विनं वा परिपूर्णविद्यं भषन्ति हैवं श्वनराः सदैव।॥
The sons of Pritha never use such words. It is only low men who are like dogs that use harsh words towards all classes of people, namely towards those that live in the forest, those that lead domestic life, those that are employed in asceticism, and those that are greatly learned.

द्वारं सुघोरं नरकस्य जिह्यं न बुध्यते धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रः। तमन्वेतारो बहवः कुरूणां द्यूतोदये सह दुःशासनेन॥
The son of Dhritarashtra does not know that dishonesty is one of the fearful doors of hell. Many Kurus with Dushasana amongst them have followed him in the path of dishonesty in this play at dice.

मज्जन्त्यलावूनि शिलाः प्लवन्ते मुह्यन्ति नावोऽम्भसि शश्वदेव। मूढो राजा धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रो न मे वाचः पथ्यरूपाः शृणोति॥
Even grounds may sink and stone may float and boats may always sink in water, but still this foolish king (Duryodhana) the son of Dhritarashtra, will not listen to my words which are like regimen to him.

अन्तो नूनं भवितायं कुरूणां सुदारुणः सर्वहरो विनाशः। वाचः काव्याः सुहृदां पथ्यरूपा न श्रूयन्ते वर्धते लोभ एव॥
He will certainly be the cause of the destruction of the Kurus. When the worlds of wisdom spoken by friends, words of wisdom spoken by friends, words that are like the proper regimen, are not listened to, when temptation is on the increase, a fearful and universal destruction is sure to overtake all the Kurus.