Shloka 41
Vidura’s Return; Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Departure; Nārada’s Instruction on Kāla and Detachment
नारद उवाच मा कञ्चन शुचो राजन् यदीश्वरवशं जगत् । लोका: सपाला यस्येमे वहन्ति बलिमीशितु: । स संयुनक्ति भूतानि स एव वियुनक्ति च ॥ ४१ ॥
nārada uvāca mā kañcana śuco rājan yad īśvara-vaśaṁ jagat lokāḥ sapālā yasyeme vahanti balim īśituḥ sa saṁyunakti bhūtāni sa eva viyunakti ca
Śrī Nārada said: O pious King, do not lament for anyone, for the whole world is under the Supreme Lord’s control. Therefore all beings, along with their rulers, offer worship for protection. He alone brings them together, and He alone disperses them.
Every living being, either in this material world or in the spiritual world, is under the control of the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead. Beginning from Brahmājī, the leader of this universe, down to the insignificant ant, all are abiding by the order of the Supreme Lord. Thus the constitutional position of the living being is subordination under the control of the Lord. The foolish living being, especially man, artificially rebels against the law of the Supreme and thus becomes chastised as an asura, or lawbreaker. A living being is placed in a particular position by the order of the Supreme Lord, and he is again shifted from that place by the order of the Supreme Lord or His authorized agents. Brahmā, Śiva, Indra, Candra, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira or, in modern history, Napoleon, Akbar, Alexander, Gandhi, Shubhash and Nehru all are servants of the Lord, and they are placed in and removed from their respective positions by the supreme will of the Lord. None of them is independent. Even though such men or leaders rebel so as not to recognize the supremacy of the Lord, they are put under still more rigorous laws of the material world by different miseries. Only the foolish man, therefore, says that there is no God. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was being convinced of this naked truth because he was greatly overwhelmed by the sudden departure of his old uncles and aunt. Mahārāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra was placed in that position according to his past deeds; he had already suffered or enjoyed the benefits accrued to him in the past, but due to his good luck, somehow or other he had a good younger brother, Vidura, and by his instruction he left to achieve salvation by closing all accounts in the material world.
FAQs
This verse teaches that lamentation is eased by understanding that the world functions under the Supreme Lord’s control; He unites beings and He also separates them according to His divine arrangement.
In Canto 1 Chapter 13, Yudhishthira is burdened by separation and suffering in the aftermath of great losses; Narada instructs him to see events as governed by the Lord, cultivating steadiness and spiritual vision.
Treat relationships and life-changes as sacred responsibilities rather than possessions—serve sincerely when together, and when separation comes, remember it is under God’s control and continue your dharma without despair.