Vidura Advises Dhritarashtra on Wise Conduct

Vidura began to speak. He spoke about guests. When an aged person arrives, he said, a young person’s life force rises up — and he regains it by rising and offering a respectful welcome. A seat must be given. Water must be brought for washing the feet. Only after being asked about his welfare can one recount one’s own affairs. Food must be offered patiently, reflecting on what is appropriate. The learned have said that a person’s life is in vain if one who is versed in the mantras does not accept water, madhuparka (a ceremonial offering of honey and milk), and a cow at his house — because of avarice, fears, or miserliness. But not everyone deserves such hospitality. A physician, a maker of arrows, an impure man, a thief, a cruel one, a drunkard, an abortionist, a mercenary, and one who sells the sacred texts — these do not deserve to be offered water as guests, even if the host likes them. He spoke about what must not be sold: salt, cooked food, curds, milk, honey, oil, ghee, sesamum seeds, meat, roots and fruits, vegetables, dyed garments, all fragrances, and molasses. He spoke about the true mendicant — one who does not fall prey to anger, who regards a lump of earth and gold equally, who has discarded grief, who is beyond friendship and enmity, blame and praise, pleasure and displeasure, and who roams around completely oblivious. A foremost ascetic lives on wild rice, roots, nuts, and vegetables. He controls himself, is always attentive to fire sacrifices, dwells in the forest, and is always attentive toward his guests. He spoke about injury and trust. After causing injury to an intelligent person, one should not feel satisfied simply because one is a long distance away. An intelligent person has long arms and will cause hurt in return. One should not trust those who should not be trusted. Those who can be trusted should not be trusted too much — hardships created by such trust can destroy the roots. He spoke about women. One must be pleasant in speech, mild, and speak sweetly to women — but one must not come under their control. Women are the prosperity of a household. They deserve respect. They are immensely fortunate. They are pure. They light up the house. Therefore, they must be specially protected. He spoke about the household. The supervision of the inner quarters should be given to the father, the kitchen to the mother, and the cows to someone equal to one’s own self. Agriculture must be attended to by one’s own self. Trade can be left to servants. Brahmanas must be served by the sons. He spoke about the origins of things. Fire arose from water. Kshatriyas arose from brahmanas. Iron arose from rock. All their energy is pacified when they return to their wombs. Virtuous ones born in noble lineages have energy like that of fire — they are forgiving and do not have a form, like fire hidden in wood. He spoke about counsel. A king whose counsel is not known by insiders or outsiders, but who looks at everything with his own eyes, will enjoy prosperity. One should not speak about what one wishes to do. Having ascended the peak of a mountain or the roof of the palace, or going to a forest devoid of grass, one should make one’s plans. One who is not a well-wisher should not learn of the ultimate plan — nor should a well-wisher who is not learned, nor a learned one who lacks self-control. A king whose attendants learn of his deeds only after they have been performed, and whose counsels are kept secret, will certainly be successful. He spoke about conduct. If one commits forbidden acts out of ignorance, one loses even one’s life as a consequence. Praiseworthy deeds bring happiness; their non-performance brings great injury later. A king should possess conduct that is respected and know about the six means for stability, increase, and decrease. If his anger and delight are infallible, if he himself looks after what should be done, if he has complete information about his treasury, the earth and its riches will be under his control. He spoke about enemies. An enemy who deserves to be killed should not be freed when under your control. If he is not killed, he will soon become a source of danger. He spoke about anger. One must always try to restrain one’s anger against gods, kings, brahmanas, the aged, the young, and the sick. A wise person avoids pointless quarrels; only fools seek them. He spoke about the stupid. Those who are stupid always disrespect those who are learned, have good conduct, are aged in age and aged in intelligence, and are elders in prosperity and birth. Those who are ignoble in conduct, lacking in wisdom, envious, performers of adharma, wicked in speech, and prone to anger — they confront disaster. He spoke about what makes a man dear to all beings: absence of deceit, generosity, observance of rites at the right time, and appropriateness in speech. One who is without deceit, skilful, grateful, intelligent, and upright is surrounded by family, even if his treasury is empty. He spoke about the seven kindlings of prosperity: fortitude, serenity, self-control, purity, compassion, kindness in speech, and friendliness toward friends. He spoke about those who must be avoided: one who does not share his property, one who is evil in soul, one who is ungrateful, one who is shameless. He spoke about the snake in the house. One cannot sleep happily at night if there is a snake in the house. Like that, being guilty oneself, one should not incite those inside the house to anger against those who are innocent. He spoke about the boat made of stone. When a woman, a deceitful one, or a child is in control, there is no doubt that one will helplessly sink — like a boat made of stone in a river. And then he stopped.