Shloka 29
Vidura’s Return; Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Departure; Nārada’s Instruction on Kāla and Detachment
एवं राजा विदुरेणानुजेन प्रज्ञाचक्षुर्बोधित आजमीढ: । छित्त्वा स्वेषु स्नेहपाशान्द्रढिम्नो निश्चक्राम भ्रातृसन्दर्शिताध्वा ॥ २९ ॥
evaṁ rājā vidureṇānujena prajñā-cakṣur bodhita ājamīḍhaḥ chittvā sveṣu sneha-pāśān draḍhimno niścakrāma bhrātṛ-sandarśitādhvā
وهكذا فإنّ مهاراجا دِهرتراشترَ، من سلالة أَجَميḍha، وقد أيقظه أخوه الأصغر وِدورا ببصيرة الحكمة (prajñā)، قطع بعزمٍ راسخ شبكةَ التعلّق العائلي القوية، وخرج من بيته في الحال سالكًا طريقَ الموكشا الذي دلّه عليه أخوه.
Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the great preacher of the principles of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, has stressed the importance of association with sādhus, pure devotees of the Lord. He said that even by a moment’s association with a pure devotee, one can achieve all perfection. We are not ashamed to admit that this fact was experienced in our practical life. Were we not favored by His Divine Grace Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, by our first meeting for a few minutes only, it would have been impossible for us to accept this mighty task of describing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in English. Without seeing him at that opportune moment, we could have become a very great business magnate, but never would we have been able to walk the path of liberation and be engaged in the factual service of the Lord under instructions of His Divine Grace. And here is another practical example by the action of Vidura’s association with Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Mahārāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra was tightly bound in a network of material affinities related to politics, economy and family attachment, and he did everything in his power to achieve so-called success in his planned projects, but he was frustrated from the beginning to the end so far as his material activities were concerned. And yet, despite his life of failure, he achieved the greatest of all success in self-realization by the forceful instructions of a pure devotee of the Lord, who is the typical emblem of a sādhu. The scriptures enjoin, therefore, that one should associate with sādhus only, rejecting all other kinds of association, and by doing so one will have ample opportunity to hear the sādhus, who can cut to pieces the bonds of illusory affection in the material world. It is a fact that the material world is a great illusion because everything appears to be a tangible reality but at the next moment evaporates like the dashing foam of the sea or a cloud in the sky. A cloud in the sky undoubtedly appears to be a reality because it rains, and due to rains so many temporary green things appear, but in the ultimate issue, everything disappears, namely the cloud, rain and green vegetation, all in due course. But the sky remains, and the varieties of sky or luminaries also remain forever. Similarly, the Absolute Truth, which is compared to the sky, remains eternally, and the temporary cloudlike illusion comes and goes away. Foolish living beings are attracted by the temporary cloud, but intelligent men are more concerned with the eternal sky with all its variegatedness.
FAQs
This verse says Dhṛtarāṣṭra became awakened by Vidura’s wisdom and “cut” the hardened bonds of affection, showing that spiritual insight and right guidance enable detachment.
In the narrative of Canto 1, Vidura urges Dhṛtarāṣṭra to stop clinging to dependence and bodily identification in old age, and to take to the renounced path for spiritual welfare.
Take Vidura’s principle: seek wise counsel, reduce possessiveness, and prioritize spiritual practice—serving family with duty but without binding attachment.