Throughout the great text of the Mahabharata, Vidura Niti, is extremely helpful in righteous living especially when advising against vices that corrode life, both personally and collectively. There are seven vices Vidura describes as leading to ruin: gambling, lust, intoxication, hunting, harsh speech, cruelty, and theft. Vidura’s description of these elements takes place in the Udyoga Parva (Chapter 33-40) of the Mahabharata. Vidura’s message about how these relevant teachings help us make sense of our lives in a chaotic world is relevant at a time when many are grappling with their worldview.
One of the pivotal verses in Vidura Niti that encapsulates the dangers of succumbing to vices is found in Udyoga Parva (33.61):
Sanskrit Verse: न तत् परस्य संनादति यत् स्वयं च न शोभति।
द्यूतं न संनादति येन संनादति तद् धनम्॥
Transliteration: Na tat parasya sannādati yat svayam ca na śobhati,
Dyūtaṃ na sannādati yena sannādati tad dhanam.
English Translation: “That which does not bring happiness to others and does not adorn oneself is not true wealth. Gambling does not bring true prosperity; the wealth it brings is tainted.”
Vidura warns that pursuits like gambling, which fail to benefit others and degrade one’s own character, cannot yield genuine prosperity. Wealth gained through such means is fleeting and morally corrupt, leading to personal and societal harm.
The focus of this verse is not only on gambling but on the greater threat of vices. Vidura’s point of view asserts the principle that to have true wealth (material, emotional, or spiritual) requires it to be done according to dharma (righteousness). Vices like gambling, lust, or intoxication may offer moments of fleeting pleasure, but they leads to self-destructiveness, broken relationships, and the breakdown of our society. The large emphasis Vidura places on self-control and acting ethically, supports the need for one to take care to act in accordance with long-term well-being instead of with short-term enjoyment. This verse reminds us that just indulging in these habits not only damages our own character, but it takes away from the overall harmony of the community too.
The Seven Vices and Their Modern Day Relevance
Vidura’s list of seven negative behaviors – gambling (dyūta), lust (kāma), intoxication (mada), hunting (mrigayā), harsh speech (vākpāruṣya), cruelty (danda-pāruṣya), and theft (artha-apaharana) – provides a perspective on understanding behavior that puts yourself and society at risk and contributes to sameness, rather than uniqueness and strength. Let’s compare their relevance in today’s world:
Gambling (Dyūta): Gambling in the 21st century is not confined to casinos; it has expanded to speculative financial markets, online betting apps, and compulsive playing apps. The appeal of gaining wealth quickly can lead to financial ruin, mental distress, and wobbling relationships. Vidura’s caution about gambling is particularly relevant in an age where every digital platform ingrains our desire to bet on everything, thereby turning a profit whenever someone makes an impulse decision.
Lust (Kāma): Unchecked desire for pleasure (sexual or not) or more material possessions leads to behavior causing toxic relationships through infidelity, mania (obsession), or consumership. In an ever-connected world, social media exacerbates most consumer-related desires that likely started out as lustful desires. For example, social media introduces standards that are far from realistic, and those standards encourage instant gratification at the expense of relationships, identity, and self-worth.
Intoxication (Mada): Whether the intoxication is drugs, alcohol, or even digital addiction, the impairment of judgment can negatively impact health and/or happiness. We are seeing the first globally distinct rise in mental health issues related to over consumption of social media or recreational drugs. Vidura’s advice about intoxication resulting in the permission to cloud our perception life resonates clear today, given our ignorance to the phenomenon.
Hunting: While it seems stale, hunting has modern equivalents in destructive behaviors towards nature and predatory/bullying behaviours towards vulnerable people. Of course, the endless quest to hunt profit, today seems to be universal for those who destroy people and nature. I think hunting is still relevant today.
Harsh Speech: There is rampant harsh speech today with online trolling, cancel culture, and polarized speech. Harsh speech is a social plague in our contemporary society. Vidura calls in points 3&4 for us to develop awareness and alternative forms of empathy or constructive dialogue instead of speaking harshly.
Cruelty: Whether physical or emotional, domestic cruelty or systemic injustice, without dignity life is not worth living. Vidura presents compassion to counteract cruelty in the form of an alternative, an important in dealing with workplace toxicity or structural inequality.
Stealing: Stealing is not limited to stealing things, it could also mean corruption, exploitation, and intellectual theft. We are confronted with corporate misdeeds involving greed and exploitation and breaches of data privacy. Vidura’s emphasis on integrity acts as a call to professional or ethical conduct and integrity.
Vidura teachings are not just morals, they are tools to manage the world we live in that is filled with temptations. In 2025, with technology flourishing and increased societal pressure, Vidura Niti is needed more than ever. The explosion of advances in artificial intelligence and the development of algorithms on social media play on human foibles, particularly addictive behaviour like gambling or lust. Mental health issues such as depression are increasing globally. The modern world needs the personal self-discipline, discipline of knowledge, and mindfulness shown in Vidura’s writings.
Additionally, Vidura’s attention to community benefit aligns with sustainability of the modern world. Avoiding shameful behaviour like cruelty or stealing means working towards equitable systems and respecting the environment. Vidura encourages an element of prudence or moderation in speech, which is important all the polarizing outrage in our online environments. Outrage and anger win attention, and they win on those platforms based on algorithms for angry engagement, not understanding engagement. By practicing self-awareness and ethical behavior, we can avoid the traps of outrage and anger.
Implementing Vidura’s principles in today’s fast-paced world has its challenges. The instant gratification offered by destructive vices is appealing, and societal pressures often entice people to indulge—pervasive advertising, social media, political ads, or economic structures all reward indulgence and instant gratification. Mindfulness is a practice that can thwart these impulses and people can set proper boundaries with technology and social media by focusing on their long-term goals and ignoring momentary pleasures. Schools and employers can infuse ethical training into their education and training programs that teach people the allure of destructive habits and how to hold out against them—Vidura Niti would make an excellent source for this type of training. Governments and organizations can work to stabilize the allure of vice and exploitation, for example, governments could offer regulation or even eliminate industries such as online gambling, or organizations could keep exploitive marketing practices from occurring.
Vidura Niti does not belong to history; it belongs to today and the present. If we can avoid seven vices in gambling, we have a chance of leading our lives with purpose, integrity, and harmony. The verse on gambling summarizes the wisdom saying that true prosperity comes from actions that elevate both self and societies. As we stand on the precipice of chaos as a planet, whether it’s through global technology addiction, climate disaster, or social disintegration, Vidura is our guide to taking back control of our lives.
As our future unfolds, let us listen to Vidura’s timeless wisdom always avoiding transient vices and consistently staying committed to dharma. By doing so, we have a better chance of living in a more just, humane, and sustainable world.
Shun the seven vices, embrace Vidura’s wisdom—forge a life of purpose in a world of chaos!
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