The Vyasa Vihara with Dr. Ganesh continues. He is speaking about Vidura Neeti wherein Vidura comes at night as requested by a sleepless Dhritarashtra to give him sagely advice. This is in Udyoga Parva just before all hell breaks loose as Kauravas refuse to budge.
Among many gems of great advice, covering all aspects of human conduct, social and political and economic order, and wisdom for a ruler, I found the shloka shown above to mean a lot.
This shloka shown above says that truly श्रियः prosperity is fostered and protected in one's life only by observance of seven virtues:
धृतिः — Fortitude and steadiness
शमः — Temperance and self-control
दमः — Not yielding to temptation and provocation
शौचम् — Cleanliness in body and mind
कारण्यम् —Compassion
वागनिष्ठुरा —Speech not hurtful
मित्राणाम् अनभिद्रोहः —Non-betrayal of friends
These seven virtues preserve and nourish prosperity just as the right ingredients build up and hold the altar fire.
