Subhashitams from Vidura Niti

Read Vidura Niti shlokas on wisdom, leadership, judgment, effort, and character, with Sanskrit text and English-Hindi meanings.

Vidura Niti is the counsel Vidura gives to the troubled king Dhritarashtra in the Udyoga Parva of the Mahabharata, as the Kuru conflict moves toward war. The dialogue is rooted in a political crisis, yet its observations reach into personal conduct, judgment, speech, friendship, prosperity, and the habits of a wise person.

Vidura speaks as an adviser who understands both moral principle and the consequences of ignoring it. His counsel is therefore especially concerned with seeing clearly, choosing capable people, acting after reflection, protecting dependants, and refusing the distortions of anger, pride, and partiality.

Wisdom addressed to power

The dramatic setting matters: Dhritarashtra repeatedly recognizes sound counsel but struggles to act against attachment to his son. Vidura Niti consequently shows that knowing what is right is not sufficient when desire and fear govern decision-making.

The selections here emphasize steady effort, self-knowledge, good judgment, ethical prosperity, resilience, and the qualities by which wise and capable people may be recognized.

Explore the connected source tradition

Mahabharata

Read 44 subhashitams with meanings

Bhagavad Gita

Read 10 subhashitams with meanings

Chanakya Niti

Read 13 subhashitams with meanings

Wisdom (10)Discipline (9)Character (7)Perseverance (5)Success (5)Karma (4)

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Vidura Niti shlokas in this collection

These verses are grouped under Vidura Niti while retaining their parent reference to the Mahabharata.

Latest update: Sep 21, 2026

Sep 21, 2026

Vidura Niti

एको धर्मः परं श्रेयः क्षमैका शान्तिरुत्तमा। विद्यैका परमा तृप्तिरहिंसैका सुखावहा॥

eko dharmaḥ paraṁ śreyaḥ kṣamaikā śāntir uttamā । vidyaikā paramā tṛptir ahiṁsaikā sukhāvahā ॥

A verse from Vidura Niti in the Mahabharata that pairs four virtues with what each one alone can give: dharma brings the highest good, forgiveness the finest peace, knowledge true contentment, and non-violence lasting happiness.

DharmaPeaceKnowledgeNon-Violence

Sep 1, 2026

Vidura Niti

यस्य कृत्यं न जानन्ति मन्त्रं वा मन्त्रितं परे। कृतमेवास्य जानन्ति स वै पण्डित उच्यते॥

yasya kṛtyaṃ na jānanti mantraṃ vā mantritaṃ pare । kṛtam evāsya jānanti sa vai paṇḍita ucyate ॥

A Mahabharata verse calls one wise whose deliberations remain unknown to others until the intended work has been accomplished.

WisdomKarma

Aug 12, 2026

Vidura Niti

चक्षुषा मनसा वाचा कर्मणा च चतुर्विधम्। प्रसादयति यो लोकं तं लोकोऽनुप्रसीदति॥

cakṣuṣā manasā vācā karmaṇā ca caturvidham । prasādayati yo lokaṁ taṁ loko'nuprasīdati ॥

Vidura Niti teaches that one who wins people’s goodwill through sight, thought, speech and action receives their goodwill in return.

HarmonyKarma

Aug 11, 2026

Vidura Niti

अष्टौ गुणाः पुरुषं दीपयन्ति प्रज्ञा सुशीलत्वदमौ श्रुतं च। पराक्रमश्च बहुभाषिता च दानं यथाशक्ति कृतज्ञता च॥

aṣṭau guṇāḥ puruṣaṁ dīpayanti prajñā suśīlatva-damau śrutaṁ ca । parākramaś ca bahubhāṣitā ca dānaṁ yathāśakti kṛtajñatā ca ॥

This Vidura Niti verse praises wisdom, good character, self-restraint, learning, courage, giving, gratitude and—in its established reading—restraint in speech.

WisdomCharacterDisciplineKnowledgeCourage

Jul 24, 2026

Vidura Niti

कर्मणा मनसा वाचा यदभीक्ष्णं निषेवते। तदेवापहरत्येनं तस्मात्कल्याणमाचरेत्॥

karmaṇā manasā vācā yadabhīkṣṇaṃ niṣevate । tadevāpaharatyenaṃ tasmātkalyāṇamācaret ॥

Vidura Niti teaches that whatever we repeatedly cultivate through action, thought, and speech draws us in its direction; therefore, we should practise what is beneficial.

KarmaEthicsDiscipline

Jul 20, 2026

Vidura Niti

प्राप्यापदं न व्यथते कदाचिदुद्योगमन्विच्छति चाप्रमत्तः। दुःखं च काले सहते महात्मा धुरन्धरस्तस्य जिताः सपत्नाः॥

prāpyāpadaṁ na vyathate kadācidudyogamanvicchati cāpramattaḥ । duḥkhaṁ ca kāle sahate mahātmā dhurandharastasya jitāḥ sapatnāḥ ॥

A Vidura Niti verse on meeting adversity without distress, pursuing effort vigilantly, and enduring hardship until obstacles are overcome.

PerseveranceCourageDisciplineSuccess

Jul 10, 2026

Vidura Niti

हितं यत्सर्वभूतानामात्मानश्च सुखावहम्। तत्कुर्यादीश्वरे ह्येतन्मूलं सर्वार्थसिद्धये॥

hitaṃ yat sarvabhūtānām ātmānaśca sukhāvaham । tat kuryād īśvare hy etan mūlaṃ sarvārthasiddhaye ॥

A Mahabharata verse teaching that the right action is one that benefits all beings, brings inner peace, and is rooted in surrender to the divine.

Selfless ServiceDharmaEthicsSpirituality

Jun 29, 2026

Vidura Niti

देशाचारान् समयाञ्जातिधर्मान् बुभूषते यस्तु परावरज्ञः। स तत्र तत्राधिगतः सदैव महाजनस्याधिपत्यं करोति॥

deśācārān samayāñ jātidharmān bubhūṣate yastu parāvarajñaḥ । sa tatra tatrādhigataḥ sadaiva mahājanasyādhipatyaṁ karoti ॥

A Vidura Niti verse on how understanding local customs, social norms, and communities earns trust, respect, and influence.

WisdomCultureRespectCharacter

Jun 9, 2026

Vidura Niti

आर्यकर्मणि रज्यन्ते भूतिकर्माणि कुर्वते। हितं च नाभ्यसूयन्ति स वै पण्डित उच्यते॥

āryakarmaṇi rajyante bhūtikarmāṇi kurvate । hitaṃ ca nābhyasūyanti sa vai paṇḍita ucyate ॥

A Vidura Niti verse defining true wisdom as delight in noble action, dedication to public welfare, and freedom from envy toward good work.

WisdomEthicsCharacterDuty

Jun 3, 2026

Vidura Niti

धूमायन्ते व्यपेतानि ज्वलन्ति सहितानि च। धृतराष्ट्रोल्मुकानीव ज्ञातयो भरतर्षभ॥

dhūmāyante vyapetāni jvalanti sahitāni ca । dhṛtarāṣṭrolmukānīva jñātayo bharatarṣabha ॥

Vidura Niti uses the image of scattered and united firebrands to show how collective strength turns latent energy into visible power.

UnityPowerSuccess

Jun 2, 2026

Vidura Niti

निश्चित्य यः प्रक्रमते नान्तर्वसति कर्मणः। अवन्ध्यकालो वश्यात्मा स वै पण्डित उच्यते॥

niścitya yaḥ prakramate nāntarvasati karmaṇaḥ । avandhyakālo vaśyātmā sa vai paṇḍita ucyate ॥

Vidura Niti defines the truly wise person as one who begins after careful thought, completes the work, uses time fruitfully, and remains self-controlled.

WisdomDisciplinePerseveranceSuccess

May 15, 2026

Vidura Niti

यथाशक्ति चिकीर्षन्ति यथाशक्ति च कुर्वते। न किञ्चिदवमन्यन्ते नराः पण्डितबुद्धयः॥

yathāśakti cikīrṣanti yathāśakti ca kurvate । na kiñcidavamanyante narāḥ paṇḍitabuddhayaḥ ॥

This verse from Vidura Niti defines practical wisdom as setting attainable aims, acting with discipline, and neglecting nothing as insignificant.

WisdomCapabilityDisciplineCharacter

Apr 28, 2026

Vidura Niti

उत्थानं संयमो दाक्ष्यमप्रमादो धृतिः स्मृतिः। समीक्ष्य च समारम्भो विद्धिमूलं भवस्य तु॥

utthānaṁ saṁyamo dākṣyam apramādo dhṛtiḥ smṛtiḥ । samīkṣya ca samārambho viddhi mūlaṁ bhavasya tu ॥

A strategic teaching from Vidura Niti identifying the seven essential qualities, from focused effort to careful planning, that form the foundation of success.

DisciplineCapabilitySuccessPerseveranceWisdom

Apr 8, 2026

Vidura Niti

आत्मज्ञानं समारम्भस्तितिक्षा धर्मनित्यता। यमर्था नापकर्षन्ति स वै पण्डित उच्यते॥

ātmajñānaṁ samārambhas titikṣā dharmanityatā । yam arthā nāpakarṣanti sa vai paṇḍita ucyate ॥

A profound insight from Vidura Niti defining a wise person as one who possesses self-knowledge, maintains steady action, and remains unswayed by greed or hardship.

WisdomSelf-RealizationCharacterDharmaPerseverance

Feb 3, 2026

Vidura Niti

श्रीर्मङ्गलात् प्रभवति प्रागल्भ्यात् सम्प्रवर्धते। दाक्ष्यात् तु कुरुते मूलं संयमात् प्रतितिष्ठति॥

śrīrmaṅgalāt prabhavati prāgalbhyāt sampravardhate । dākṣyāt tu kurute mūlaṃ saṃyamāt pratitiṣṭhati ॥

A deep insight from Vidura Niti on how wealth and prosperity are born, grown, rooted, and established through virtue and discipline.

WealthCapabilityDisciplineSelf-Confidence

Dec 31, 2025

Vidura Niti

यथा यथा हि पुरुषः कल्याणे कुरुते मनः। तथा तथाऽस्य सर्वार्थाः सिद्ध्यन्ते नात्र संशयः॥

yathā yathā hi puruṣaḥ kalyāṇe kurute manaḥ । tathā tatha'sya sarvārthāḥ siddhyante nātra saṁśayaḥ ॥

As a person repeatedly turns the mind toward what is good, conduct and consequences gradually align with that wholesome intention.

KarmaCharacterSuccess

Dec 24, 2025

Vidura Niti

यस्य कृत्यं न विघ्नन्ति शीतमुष्णं भयं रतिः। समृद्धिरसमृद्धिर्वा स वै पण्डित उच्यते॥

yasya kṛtyaṁ na vighnanti śītamuṣṇaṁ bhayaṁ ratiḥ । samṛddhir asamṛddhir vā sa vai paṇḍita ucyate ॥

A wise person remains committed to duty despite heat and cold, fear and desire, prosperity and adversity.

WisdomPerseveranceCharacterDiscipline

Dec 11, 2025

Vidura Niti

सुदुर्बलं नावजानाति कञ्चिद् युक्तो रिपुं सेवते बुद्धिपूर्वम्। न विग्रहं रोचयते बलस्थैः काले च यो विक्रमते स धीरः॥

sudurbalaṃ nāvajānāti kañcid yukto ripuṃ sevate buddhipūrvam । na vigrahaṃ rocayate balasthaiḥ kāle ca yo vikramate sa dhīraḥ ॥

Sudurbalam Navajanati defines a true hero as one who acts with wisdom and restraint, showing bravery only at the right time and place.

WisdomCourageEthicsDiscipline