In the Bhagavatam, there are twelve individuals considered Mahajan and Yamaraj is one among them. Vidura, Yamaraj’s sudra incarnation, is not explicitly mentioned as a Mahajan. For punishing Mundaka Muni, Yamaraj was cursed by the Muni to become a sudra (lower birth). Is there a reason why Yamaraj punished Mundaka Muni? Should we consider Vidura a Mahajan as well, since Yamaraj is a Mahajan? Does Vidura possess the traits necessary to qualify as a Mahajan?
Mundaka Muni was wrongly arrested along with the thieves who had concealed themselves in his hermitage. The King’s court specifically sentenced Muni to the death penalty by being pierced with a lance, but the king stopped the death penalty enactment. The King personally sought Muni’s forgiveness for his men’s blunder.
The Muni went to Yamaraj, who determines the fate of all living things, to ask why such punishment was being meted out. Yamaraj explains to Muni that in his childhood he pierced an ant with a sharpened straw, and for that reason, he was put into difficulty. The Muni explains to Yamaraj that according to the scriptures, young children’s innocent acts are not wicked though they may seem so. For his misjudgment, Muni cursed Yamaraj to become a sudra. This sudra incarnation of Yamaraj was known as Vidura, one of the prominent personalities in Mahabharata. Though he was born as sudra he retained his wisdom. In fact, his wisdom in the Mahabharata is second only to Krsna’s. When Yamaraj was incarnated as Vidura, his position was officiated by Aryama, one of the many sons of Kasyapa and Aditi.
A few unique features in Vidura’s character stand out:
Bold Advisor
Vidura was renowned for his brilliance and his ability to speak the truth. He had the extraordinary characteristics of a fearless advisor. Despite knowing that Dhritarashtra and Duryodhana would not accept his good counsel, Vidura still instructed Dhritarashtra to return the legitimate kingdom to the Pandavas. An advisor almost always faces some opposition to his counseling, but he continues to advise boldly. Vidura also advised Dhritarashtra to get rid of his elder son Duryodhana who was offense personified. He explained your ninety-nine sons with Duryodhana will end as zero. He must discard Duryodhana for the sake of the Kingdom like his ancestor Bharat. King Bharat discarded his nine worthless sons for the sake of the Kingdom and coroneted a qualified person as his predecessor. Vidura reminded him, “You have a responsibility as a king and father. As a king, you are more accountable than a father. So, you should (try to) stop Duryodhana to the best of your capacity for the sake of the Kingdom.”
Optimist
Vidura was an optimist and a compassionate person. He knows that Dhritarashtra is a great descendant of the Kuru dynasty. He was factually the son of Vedvyas which means he was directly the son of the literary incarnation of the Lord. He was blessed to see the partial Virat Rupa of the Lord. Vidura understood if Dhritarashtra could simply give up the attachment and association of his son Duryodhana, he would be a great person and his name would be glorified throughout history and in the scriptures. Vidura was affectionate to Dhritarashtra, but Dhritarashtra was attached to Duryodhana.
Dhritarashtra in the beginning could not listen submissively despite repeated instructions from Vidura. However, after the battle and the death of all his sons, Dhritarashtra became a little humble and finally heeded Vidura’s instructions. Vidura enlightened Dhritarashtra and then took him along with Gandhari to the forest. Dhritarashtra eventually attained an auspicious end.
Sama-darsi – Equal Vision
Vidura has equal relations with Kauravas and Pandavas. He was so kind to Kauravas and reminded Dhritarashtra and Duryodhana to rectify their heinous transgressions against Pandavas, the devotees of the Lord. Vidura’s conversation with Dhritarashtra which occurs repeatedly in the Mahabharat has been compiled together and they are called the Vidura Niti (morality). He was a devoted friend who always wanted the best for Dhritarashtra, despite the fact that the latter consistently disregarded Vidura’s counsel. He was alerting Dhritarashtra of being manipulated and exploited by the sentiments of his son and always telling him to do the right things and take the right decisions. Krsna is on the side of Pandavas and whatever he would do against them, he would be directly doing against Krsna Himself. To Dhritarashtra and Duryodhana, Vidura’s instructions were like “thunderbolts,” but to Pandavas, “soft as a rose”.
Not partial to Pandavas
Vidura was affectionate to Kauravas and Pandavas, yet he is inclined towards Pandavas because they are being ill-treated by Kauravas, faithful to the religious principles, and devotees of the Lord. After Krsna, he was the most trusted advisor to the Pandavas and had warned them repeatedly about Duryodhana’s plots. Pandavas are the eternal associates of the Lord whereas Vidura (Yama raj) is one of the administrative demigods.
He sided with neither party in the Mahabharat war
Vidura didn’t go directly against Dhritarashtra and side with Pandavas in the war like Vibhishan in Ramayana. Vibhishan, one of the brothers of Ravana, sided with Lord Ramachandra, in the war against Ravana because Ravana didn’t listen to him to stop the war. Instead, Vidura went on a pilgrimage at the time of the Mahabharata war.
Renounced
Being a pure devotee of the Lord, Vidura was totally renounced and transcendental to material disappointments such as insults, ridicule, position, etc. In protest against the Mahabharata war, Vidura resigned from the post of minister.
When Vidura advised Dhritarashtra to get rid of the “Offense personified” Duryodhana, who was the root cause of imminent war, Duryodhana criticized Vidura harshly. In this incident, the Lord’s energy worked simultaneously on both Duryodhana (external energy) and Vidura (internal energy). Duryodhana acted under the influence of external energy and thus facilitated the path for Vidura towards renunciation/pilgrimage.
A true devotee of Lord Krsna
Vidura went on a pilgrimage instead of seeking Krishna’s shelter. Vidura was conscious that he incurred some sins due to diplomatic association with Dhritarashtra and Duryodhana and was not fit to associate at once with the Lord. Krsna arranged for Vidura, fully dependent on and thinking of Him and Vidura performed his duties to please the Lord while wandering in holy lands through which Krsna Himself has traveled.
His submissive inquisitiveness to learn from devotees
Krsna instructs in Gita: 4.34 that one is advised to approach a bona fide spiritual master submissively when one is inclined to question from an elevated level of spiritual understanding. Vidura was exemplary in submissiveness and set an example of how to enquire from great souls by enquiring from Uddhava and Maitreya Rsi.
Humility
Vidura displayed humility by accepting spiritual knowledge from a younger person like Uddhava. On seeing Uddhava, Vidura embraced him and asked for the Lord and His associates. Vidura knew that they were no longer in this world, yet he asked. This inquiry appears weird, but Srila Jiva Goswami states that the news was shocking to Vidura, who therefore inquired again due to great curiosity. Thus, the inquiry was psychological and not practical.
He concludes his questions to Uddhava with a request “O my friend, please, therefore, chant the glories of the Lord, who is meant to be glorified in the places of pilgrimage. He is unborn, and yet He appears by His causeless mercy upon the surrendered rulers of all parts of the universe. Only for their interest did He appear in the family of His unalloyed devotees the Yadus.”
Quality of Vidura’s inquiries
Saint Vidura was a pure devotee of the Lord, and therefore his questions to Maitreya Muni must have been very purposeful, on the highest level, and approved by learned circles. Canto 3 and 4 of Bhagavatam was the conversation between Maitreya Muni and Vidura. Krsna left these instructions to Maitreya so he can transmit them to Vidura in the future. The greatest devotees of the Lord, Paramahas’ like Vidura are always seeking out the association of other saints and eager to hear from them submissively. Sometimes we find people thinking of themselves as spiritually advanced and that they need not listen to anyone anymore and everyone should listen to them.
Such a dharma-personified person asking questions appears very simple, there are many possible reasons:
To clarify the important point for others. Arjuna is an advanced devotee, and he also asks simple questions
To hear what another devotee has to say about this. Asking questions is a very adventurous thing. Who knows what a Vaishnav will say as Krsna reveals from the heart? To hear another perspective because every question has so many ways to answer!
For their own purification. The advanced devotee feels very fallen and often asks questions from a position of deep humility because they feel they haven’t really understood. This is a lesson for one who sometimes tends to think “I have understood more than I actually have.”
His relationship with Yudhisthira Maharaj
It is interesting that Yudhisthir is the son of Yamaraj and Vidura is Yamaraj’s expansion. So, there is a natural similarity between Vidura and Yudhisthir. Both are virtuous, and noble, learned in scriptures, and both abide by religious principles. So, naturally, there is an attraction between the two; they always tried to do good for the whole dynasty.
Sometimes, Vidura spoke some enigmatic words that eluded the rest of the royal family. His words were meant only for the ears of Yudhisthira.
Vidura represents Yamaraj’s Principle of discipline and if you do not listen to Vidura you will be destroyed. In the gambling, Pandavs lost the game, but the Kurus were destroyed in the war.
His return to his abode
Yamaraj committing a mistake to be cursed by the Muni to become Vidura seems very unfortunate. Yamaraj is also a finite and living being, he misjudged Muni’s sin (probably by the will of the Lord), so that he could assist the Lord as Vidura in His pastime by alerting Pandavas on Kaurava’s plots to kill them.
In some versions of the Mahabharat, it is described that Vidura by his mystical process transferred his prowess to Yudhisthir so that he could rule with virtue and glory, and returned to his abode.
He is a Mahajan
Someone strictly following a Mahajana is also a Manajana. Vidura was raised by Bhismadeva who a Mahajan is. Vidura was a Vaiṣṇava and his unique character is identical to His master, Lord Kṛṣṇa. Vidura was worshipped by King Yudhiṣṭhira and adored by the Pandavas; only those who were hostile to Lord Krsna found him repugnant.
He was a Mahatma and was remembered by the Lord at the time of His departure from the material world. So, Vidura is another Mahajan in Mahabharat after Bhismadeva.
Yamaraj had to play the part of the so-called sudra in the Lord’s pastime as Vidura for a hundred years. Once his curse duration ended, he returned to his abode and occupied his position as Yamaraj. Vidura and Yamaraj are the same individuals. There was no need to mention Vidura as a Mahajan though he possesses an absolute qualification of even more than a Mahajan.
Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?post_type=post&p=104396#
Comments