Shloka 31
Vidura’s Return; Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Departure; Nārada’s Instruction on Kāla and Detachment
अजातशत्रु: कृतमैत्रो हुताग्नि- र्विप्रान्नत्वा तिलगोभूमिरुक्मै: । गृहं प्रविष्टो गुरुवन्दनाय न चापश्यत्पितरौ सौबलीं च ॥ ३१ ॥
ajāta-śatruḥ kṛta-maitro hutāgnir viprān natvā tila-go-bhūmi-rukmaiḥ gṛhaṁ praviṣṭo guru-vandanāya na cāpaśyat pitarau saubalīṁ ca
قام مهاراجا يودهيشتِرا، الذي لم يُولد له عدوّ، بواجباته الصباحية وأدّى الأَغْنِيهوترا، ثم انحنى للبراهمة وأكرمهم بالسمسم والحبوب والبقر والأرض والذهب. وبعد ذلك دخل القصر ليُحيّي الشيوخ، لكنه لم يجد دِهرتراشتر ولا غاندھاري ابنة سُبَلا.
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was the most pious king because he personally practiced daily the pious duties for the householders. The householders are required to rise early in the morning, and after bathing they should offer respects to the Deities at home by prayers, by offering fuel in the sacred fire, by giving the brāhmaṇas in charity land, cows, grains, gold, etc., and at last offering to the elderly members due respects and obeisances. One who is not prepared to practice injunctions prescribed in the śāstras cannot be a good man simply by book knowledge. Modern householders are practiced to different modes of life, namely to rise late and then take bed tea without any sort of cleanliness and without any purificatory practices as mentioned above. The household children are taken to practice what the parents practice, and therefore the whole generation glides towards hell. Nothing good can be expected from them unless they associate with sādhus. Like Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the materialistic person may take lessons from a sādhu like Vidura and thus be cleansed of the effects of modern life.
FAQs
This verse marks the moment when Yudhiṣṭhira enters to honor his elders but discovers they are absent—setting up the narrative that Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Gāndhārī have left home for renunciation.
It refers to traditional charitable gifts—sesame, cows, land, and gold—offered to brāhmaṇas as part of dharmic conduct after sacred rites.
It highlights dharmic responsibility—honoring brāhmaṇas and elders—while also reminding that worldly relationships can change suddenly, urging readiness for detachment and spiritual focus.