Essence Of Maha Bhagavatha Purana

The Example of Vidura the Virtuous

After the abstractive discussion from the Higher Levels of Learning, Maha Muni referred to the memory of one of the less celebrated personalities of Maha Bharatha, Vidura, the able Prime minster of Kauravas and the offspring of Veda Vyasa. Mahi Muni Suka inferred that a change of Topic was sought by the King to recall the Story of a noble person from his own clan, known for Virtue and Justice. Vidura was convinced that the Gang of Four, the ‘Dushta Chatushtaya’ comprising Duryodhana, Dussasana, Shakuni and Karna were all along giving a raw deal to their Cousins-Pandavas- and victimised them from time to time,starting from an attempt to kill Pandavas in a ‘Lac Palace’; their disappearance till their Wedding with Draupadi; the division of the Kingdom between Kauravas and Pandavas;

the ‘Rajasuya Yaga’- or the Annoucement of Royal Supremacy by Pandavas and the jealousy of Kauravas versus Pandavas; the unjust Game of Chess which led Pandavas to lose their Kingship and a penalty of twelve years of forest life and a year’s disguised existence in the Court of a lesser valued King Virat; the successful completion of the penalties by Pandavas and finally the refusal by Kauravas to restore their due share of the Kingdom to Pandavas. Apparently, Vidura did not like the villanny of Kauravas and the helplessness of Dhritarashtra, Bhishma and other Elders of Kauravas, including his own. Vidura thus hung his bow and arrows as a symbol of resignation and left Hastinapuram, the Capital of Kauravas on a pilgrimage, just while the Great Battle of ‘Maha Bharat’ was round the corner.

During his long duration of pilgrimage, Vidura visited those places of renown where Krishna spent long spells of time, as Krishna was his Hero, a Role Model and indeed his Godhead. He visited Ayodhya ( as the Holy place of Rama, viz. Krishna’s earlier Incarnation), Mathura, Dwaraka and places around. Onwards, he visited ‘Prabhasa’ the once Glorious Capital of ‘Yudhishtara’ and travelled to perform rites to Vidura’s own relatives who died of burns in bamboo houses catching fire, at  various other pilgrimage   points along the banks of River Saraswati. In course of his travels, Vidura met Uddhava, the childhood friend of Lord Krishna and discovered that the Great Battle was over and there were innumerable changes that had taken place thereafter. Lord Krishna Himself left for Dwaraka and provided spiritual solace to millions of His devotees. He ruled the hearts of His subjects for long number of years and finally left His Mortal Body.Uddhava provided a complete run of the scenario of the Post War happenings, including the Story of  Pandavas on one hand and that of Lord Krishna and His Activities at Dwaraka. Both of the great devotees of Lord Krishna exchanged experiences and memories of Krishna’s childhood, the series of miracles that happened from the stage of transfer of the baby from Mathura to Gokul across the River Yamuna on a rainy midnight, the various attempts made by Demons like Pothana, Sakatasur and Dhenukasur; display of the entire Universe in His mud-eating mouth to Mother Yashoda; the taming of Kaliya Serpent; the lifting of Govardhana giri by His little finger to destroy Lord Varuna’s ego; the killings of Kamsa, Sisupala and several other Kings of Evil; the constant protection of the well-meaning Pandavas; the highly diplomatic dealings with wicked forces like Kauravas; the Great Vision of ‘Virat Swarupa’ to revive confidence to devotees and demoralise the egoistic and sinful.