Bhagavada Vahini - Chapter 6

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Bhagavada Vahini by Sathya Sai Baba

 

Chapter 6

Vidura's Renunciation

 

 

Inside the palace, Vidura enquired about the welfare of every one of

his kinsmen. Then Kuntî Devî, the queen-mother, came in and casting

her endearing looks at him, said, " At last, we have been able to see

you, 0 Vidura! " , she could not say more.

 

After some time she resumed, " How could you stay away so long,

ignoring the very children whom you reared with so much love and

myself and others who revere you so much. It is through your grace

that my children are today rulers of this land. Where would they be

today if you had not saved them on many a critical occasion? We were

the target for many a disaster; but, the greatest one was your being

away from us. That affected us most. Even the hope of seeing you

again was extinguished in us. Now, our hearts have sprouted again.

Aspirations scattered by despair have come together. Today, our joy

has attained fullness. O, what a happy day! " Kuntî sat for a while

wiping her tears.

 

Vidura held her hands, but, could not resist his own tears. He was

recapitulating the varied events of the past, in the Pândava and

Kaurava groups. He said, " Mother Kuntî Devî. Who can overcome the

decrees of fate? What must happen, happens. The good and the evil

that men do have to result in good and evil. How can man be called

free, when he is bound by this law of cause and effect?

 

 

He is a puppet in the hands of this law; it pulls the strings and he

makes the movements. Our likes and dislikes are of no consequence.

Everything is His will, His grace. " When Vidura was thus expounding

the fundamental spiritual truths that govern human affairs, the

brothers Dharmaraja, Bhîma, Nakula, and Sahadeva were sitting near,

wrapped in close attention.

 

Kuntî raised her head at last and said, " Through your blessings, we

won the war; but, we were powerless to save the lives of the sons of

Draupadî and the son of Subhadrâ (sister of Krishna, married with

Arjuna). Misfortune haunted us so strongly. Of course, as you said,

no one can escape one's destiny. Well, let the past be forgotten. It

is meaningless to worry over what cannot be set right. I must say, my

thirst has now been considerably relieved; I could meet you at last.

Where were you all this time? Tell us. "

 

At this, Vidura replied that he had been on a pilgrimage to a number

of holy places. The brothers listened with rapt attention to his

story, prodding him with questions. Dharmaraja said often that he was

awaiting the day when he too could go through all those holy

experiences. He folded his palms in reverence whenever a holy shrine

was mentioned and with closed eyes, he pictured to himself the sacred

spot. Meanwhile, Bhîma interjected, " Did you proceed to Dvârakâ?

Please tell us your experiences there. " Dharmaraja too added, " You

must have met Lord Krishna there, isnt it? Tell us all what happened,

in full detail. " Kuntî Devî too became eager to hear his description;

for, she said, " Tell us, tell us. My son is there now; you must have

met him too. How are they all? I hope the old (foster)parents, Nanda

and Yas'odâ are well. And, Devakî and Vasudeva? " A shower of

questions fell on Vidura, even before he started talking.

 

Vidura was not over-eager to answer. He talked as if he was anxious

to avoid being drawn into the topic. For he had learnt from Uddhava

while on the way to Dvârakâ that the Yadava clan had perished and

Krishna had closed His human career. He had no desire to plunge the

Pândavas into grief, when they were elated at meeting him after a

long time. " Why should I who have given them so much joy be myself

the cause for wiping off that joy, " he argued. " They are sure to know

about it, from Arjuna who will be returning from Dvârakâ with the

sorrowful news. " So, he swallowed the news that popped up quite often

into his mouth; he satisfied himself and them, by describing the

glory of Krishna. He said, " I did not like to visit kith and kin with

these ascetic robes on, so, I did not meet any of the Yadava leaders

or Nanda, Yas'odâ and others " , and kept quiet. He did not dilate

further on Dvârakâ and his own pilgrimage.

 

" I came to you, because I heard that you have won the war and are

peacefully engaged at last in ruling over the kingdom which was

rightfully yours; I felt drawn towards these children whom I had

fostered from a tender age. It was affection towards them that drew

me here. Among my kith and kin, I was tempted to visit only you; I

did not desire to meet any others " , he said and turned towards the

vedantic teachings which he wanted to impart. When the conversation

ended, Dharmaraja prayed that Vidura might take residence at the

quarters specially arranged for him and himself accompanied him to

the mansion.

 

There, he appointed certain persons to serve Vidura and requested him

to take rest at that place. Vidura did not relish the idea of

spending his time in that seat of luxury; but, he entered the mansion

lest Dharmaraja (Yudhisthhira) be displeased. He lay on his bed,

reviewing the past; He sighed when he realised that the stratagems

which the blind Dhritarâshthra, his own brother, employed to destroy

the Pândavas, the children of his other brother Pându, recoiled on

him and caused the destruction of his own clan. He admired Dharmaraja

for the magnanimity he was showing towards Dhritarâshthra, in spite

of the fact that he had tortured the Pândavas in various ways.

 

Dharmaraja was revering him with great faith and devotion and

attending to his comforts. He felt the utmost disgust when he

recapitulated the wickedness of Dhritarâshthra's heart; he was

ashamed that the old man was coolly wallowing in the luxury of the

palace, instead of cultivating detachment from the flimsy pleasures

of the senses and attempting to realise the goal of human life,

namely, liberation, from the cycle of birth and death. He experienced

an uncontrollable agony that his brother was wasting the few

remaining years of life on earth.

 

His yogic vision told him that the Pândavas too will soon disappear;

that the same Krishna who guarded them here will look after their

best interest in the hereafter too. But, he surmised that the blind

king will suffer more, after the departure of the Pândavas. He

resolved to send that unfortunate brother out into pilgrimage and the

ultimate realisation of his destiny. He did not want any delay to

intervene. So, he slipped out in the darkness, without being noticed

by any one, and walked straight into the residence of Dhritarâshthra.

 

The blind king and his queen, Gandhâri, were of course expecting

Vidura to call upon them, for they had learnt that he had come to

town. So, when Vidura stepped in, he embraced him and shed tears of

joy. He could not contain himself. He listed one by one the

calamities that overtook him and his children and lamented over fate.

Vidura tried to console him with the profound teachings of the

scriptures. But, he soon discovered that the petrified heart of the

old man will not melt at the application of cold advice; he knew that

his stupidity can be overcome only by hard blows.

 

So, he changed the tune and resorted to blame and abuse. Hearing this

Dhritarâshthra was alarmed. He expostulated, " Brother! We are burning

in agony at the loss of our hundred sons; and, you prick the wound

with the sharp needles of your angry abuse. Even before we taste the

joy of meeting you after so long a time, why do you try to plunge us

deeper into distress? Alas! Why should I blame you for hard-

heartedness? I am laughed at by all, blamed by all. I have no right

to find fault with you. " With head bent and resting on his palms,

Dhritarâshthra sat in silence.

 

Vidura recognised this as the opportune moment for instilling the

lesson of renunciation, which alone could save him from perdition. He

knew that his purpose was beyond reproach, for, he wanted them to

undertake pilgrimage to holy places and fill themselves with

sanctity, and meet great and good men and recognise the Lord within

and thus save themselves. So, he decided to use even stronger words

with a view to transform him, and the queen. Though filled with pity

at their forlorn condition, Vidura had in mind the dire days when

they will need all the courage that jñâna alone can give them; so, he

was determined to wound them into action.

 

He said, " 0 foolish King! Have you no shame? Do you still find joy in

earthly pleasures? Of what avail is it if you wallow in the mire

until you die? I thought you had enough of it and more. Time is a

cobra that lies in wait to sting you to death. You dare hope that you

can escape it and live for ever. No one, however great, has escaped

the sting. You run after happiness in this temporary world and you

seek to fulfil your desires in order to get some paltry satisfaction.

You are wasting precious years. Make your life worthwhile. It is not

yet too late to begin the effort. Give up this cage called home.

Dismiss from your mind the paltry pleasures of this world. Remember

the joy that awaits you, the world that is welcoming you, the end of

this journey. Save yourself. Avoid the foolish fate of giving up this

life in the agony of separation from kith and kin. Learn to die with

the thought of the Lord uppermost in the mind at the moment of

departure. It is far better to die in joy in the thick of the

blackest forest than die in distress in the palace of this capital

city. Go, go and do tapas. Get away from this place, this prison

which you call home. "