Srimad Bhagavatam – day 45
Vidura continued, “First step is to attain dispassion. Forget everything. Make a firm determination to let go of everything in life. You have a deep infatuation towards your body. This is such an ugly and despicable body. But towards that also you have deep attachment. You seek that you should live for a very long time. You still desire to regain your youth. You still crave for good health and enjoyments at this old age. What do you think is your age now? Why do you entertain such craving?
He who attains dispassion giving up infatuation in totality and who without even disclosing his identity gives up this useless body that does not have the capacity to even undertake righteous deeds, is a truly courageous man (dhira)! This is what our elders state.
Dispassion should arise on its own in the person. When it arises thus it means that the person has understood the temporal nature of this life. However, it is impossible for dispassion to arise on its own in the person! If at all it does, then such person is exceedingly fortunate! In normal circumstances, even after many attempts the person fails in attaining detachment. In case he is unable to attain detachment on his own accord, then at least due the understanding of its importance from a Guru or from some other person, he should develop dispassion.
He, who due to detachment, gives up his family together with all other worldly bondages, who is able to restrain the mind completely while focusing exclusively upon Srihari in his heart and thus becomes a sanyasi (parivrajaka), is said to be the greatest amongst humans!
The future period of time is not conducive for noble beings. It will cause depletion of all good qualities in beings. Therefore, without informing your relatives of your future place of stay, now quickly proceed towards the North”.
In this manner Vidura preached Dhritarashtra. With this preaching, wisdom dawned upon the blind Dhritarashtra. He was able to see light. He was instantaneously able to cut off his attachment and infatuation towards his near and dear ones.
This was the effect of Vidura’s final preaching! Dhritarashtra could immediately break away from all familial ties. Due to this wonderful preaching by his brother Vidura, Dhritarashtra was rid of the bondage towards home and family. What a great achievement this is! Krishna! Srihari! This is such wonderful news!
Many times in the past Vidura had tried to cause this awakening in Dhritarashtra. But he had repeatedly failed. The blind king refused to listen. It was as if he had become deaf in addition to being blind. Now in this last attempt he was able to grasp the reality!
To a self-respecting warrior, wounds inflicted by the opponent during a righteous war are joyful. Only such valorous warriors enter the battlefield. Likewise to a Yati, who causes joy to one and all, the Himalayas bestow happiness and joy.
Dhritarashtra therefore left home immediately and proceeded towards the Himalayas. The chaste and kind woman Gandhari, who was the daughter of King Subala, followed her husband who was proceeding towards the Himalayas.
Next morning Yudhisthira completed his daily Sandhya rituals and fire-worship (Agni upasana), offered obeisance to the Vedic Brahmins and gave to them gingely, cows, lands and gold in charity. In order to offer obeisance to his elders he entered the palace. However, Vidura, Dhritarashtra and Gāndhāri were not to be seen anywhere. With this, Yudhisthira was deeply troubled.
He enquired of Sanjaya, the son of Gavalgana, who was present there, “Where is my blind paternal uncle? Where is my aunt Gāndhāri, who is grieving the loss of her sons? Where have they gone today? They have been mourning the loss of their sons. Where is Vidura, the well-wisher of everyone? He is such a revered being. Where have they all gone? Is it possible that he found some fault in my actions, for, apart from me there is none to hurt him? I hope he has not drowned himself in the Ganga. Where could they have gone? When our father died we were still very young.
Dhritarashtra and Vidura protected us and raised us since then. Where could they have now disappeared?” In this way Yudhisthira was worried.
Dhritarashtra had saved him when he was a small boy. For this reason the grateful Yudhisthira ensured the protection of his uncle throughout his life.
Sanjaya, who himself was extremely agitated and distressed at being unable to locate his master Dhritarashtra, could not even reply.
A little while later, Sanjaya, wiped his tears and composing himself a little, offered his obeisance mentally to his master Dhritarashtra and said as follows: “O Dharmaraja! I have no idea where Vidura and Dhritarashtra, who are father-like figures to you, have gone. I do not know what is in Gandhari’s mind. I do not know the place to which they have gone. They have cheated me, left me and gone”.
Exactly at that minute Maharishi Narada along with Tumbura, arrived there: Narayana! Narayana!