Vidura's Ethical Paradoxes: Unravelling Moral Complexity in the Mahabharata

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2023.v08.n10.007

Keywords:

Dharma, ethical conduct, Mahabharata, philosophy, Vidura, Wisdom

Abstract

Vidura, a major character of the Mahabharat offers profound ethical and philosophical contributions that remain meaningful till now. Vidura’s teachings, in contrast, pivot around the steadfast adherence to dharma (righteousness) and moral principles—instructing individuals that ethical conduct must always be given priority (even when there are counteracting factors). His advice emphasizes the transient nature of material wants and the way to escape is inward wisdom. Vidura’s defence of compassion, equality, and justice provides a model for our modern society. The importance of maintaining value-based ethics, even when it is tough to do so, becomes more accentuated by his moral courage and ethical consistency. Vidura’s ethical and philosophical contributions to the Mahabharata give us a deep insight into why his teachings have a compelling significance, giving individuals a moral compass in today’s intricate realm.

Author Biographies

Dr Ramanathan Srinivasan, Emeritus Professor, Institute of Management & Commerce, Srinivas University, Mangaluru, 574146

Dr. Ramanathan Srinivasan is an academician, columnist, and polymath with a combined career spanning more than four decades in industry and academia. He holds two D.Litts and Ph.Ds. in four diverse disciplines vide subject communication/Management, Open Distance Education, History, and political science. He has received D.Litt degrees from KKSU, Maharashtra, and Srinivas University, Karnataka.

He did M.Phil. (Labour Studies) and B.GL (Bachelor of General Laws) from Madurai Kamaraj University. He Pursued PGDBA from LIBA (Loyola Institute of Business Administration) Chennai.  His Post Graduate degrees include Education Management, Philosophy, History and Gandhian Thought from recognized Indian Universities. He holds PG Diplomas in Public Administration, Foreign Trade, Materials Mgt, Personnel Mgt, and Diploma in Journalism from esteemed Institutions.

He has held responsible positions in the leading higher educational institutions focusing on Management Education- MBA stream. Prior to this, he was associated with a pharmaceutical company concentrating on Institutional sales in Tamil Nadu.

Prof P. S. Aithal, Professor, Institute of Management & Commerce, Srinivas University, Mangaluru, 574146

Dr. P. Sreeramana Aithal holds multiple master's degrees and Ph.D. degrees in Physics and Business Management. He has made significant contributions to the fields of nonlinear optics, photonics, nanotechnology, business management, higher education, and information technology.

Dr. P. Sreeramana Aithal is a highly accomplished researcher and author, currently ranked third among the top 30,000 research authors worldwide and first among the top 12,000 business management authors in Elsevier's SSRN Research network. He has extensive experience in teaching, research, and administration, including serving as the Principal and Director at Srinivas Institute of Management Studies. He has published over 700 research papers in international journals and authored 36 books and edited books. His research has been supported by grants from the Department of Science & Technology, India. Dr. Aithal has also held visiting positions at renowned research institutions in India and the UK.

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Published

13-10-2023

How to Cite

Srinivasan, R., & Aithal, P. S. (2023). Vidura’s Ethical Paradoxes: Unravelling Moral Complexity in the Mahabharata. RESEARCH REVIEW International Journal of Multidisciplinary, 8(10), 51–59. https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2023.v08.n10.007

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 10 (2023): RESEARCH REVIEW International Journal of Multidisciplinary

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Articles

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This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).