Shloka 57
Vidura’s Return; Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Departure; Nārada’s Instruction on Kāla and Detachment
स वा अद्यतनाद् राजन् परत: पञ्चमेऽहनि । कलेवरं हास्यति स्वं तच्च भस्मीभविष्यति ॥ ५७ ॥
sa vā adyatanād rājan parataḥ pañcame ’hani kalevaraṁ hāsyati svaṁ tac ca bhasmī-bhaviṣyati
O King, on the fifth day from today he will abandon his body, and that body will be reduced to ashes.
Nārada Muni’s prophecy prohibited Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja from going to the place where his uncle was staying because even after quitting the body by his own mystic power, Dhṛtarāṣṭra would not be in need of any funeral ceremony; Nārada Muni indicated that his body by itself would burn to ashes. The perfection of the yoga system is attained by such mystic power. The yogī is able to quit his body by his own choice of time and can attain any planet he desires by turning the present body into ashes by self-made fire.
FAQs
This verse states that Dhṛtarāṣṭra will abandon his body within five days, underscoring the Bhagavatam’s emphasis on timely detachment and spiritual preparation rather than clinging to bodily identity.
In the narrative of Canto 1, Chapter 13, Śukadeva informs Parīkṣit about Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s imminent death to highlight the swift results of his renunciation and to reinforce the urgency of spiritual focus.
Keeping life’s uncertainty in view helps prioritize sādhana—hearing and chanting about Kṛṣṇa—reduce unnecessary attachments, and make decisions aligned with dharma and devotion.