Shloka 13
Vidura Leaves Hastināpura and Meets Uddhava
Vidura’s Tīrtha-yātrā Begins
स एष दोष: पुरुषद्विडास्ते गृहान् प्रविष्टो यमपत्यमत्या । पुष्णासि कृष्णाद्विमुखो गतश्री- स्त्यजाश्वशैवं कुलकौशलाय ॥ १३ ॥
sa eṣa doṣaḥ puruṣa-dviḍ āste gṛhān praviṣṭo yam apatya-matyā puṣṇāsi kṛṣṇād vimukho gata-śrīs tyajāśv aśaivaṁ kula-kauśalāya
This is fault embodied: Duryodhana, hater of the righteous, has entered your house as though a son of Yama. You maintain him as an unfailing son, yet he is envious and turned away from Lord Kṛṣṇa. By supporting one who is not devoted to Kṛṣṇa, you have lost all auspicious fortune and virtues. Cast off this ill luck at once and do good to the whole family!
A good son is called apatya, one who does not allow his father to fall down. The son can protect the father’s soul when the father is dead by offering sacrifices to please the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu. This system is still prevalent in India. After the death of his father, a son goes to offer sacrifices at the lotus feet of Viṣṇu at Gayā and thus delivers the father’s soul if the father is fallen. But if the son is already an enemy of Viṣṇu, how, in such an inimical mood, can he offer sacrifice unto Lord Viṣṇu’s lotus feet? Lord Kṛṣṇa is directly the Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, and Duryodhana was inimical to Him. He would therefore be unable to protect his father, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, after his death. He himself was to fall down because of his faithlessness towards Viṣṇu. How, then, could he protect his father? Vidura advised Dhṛtarāṣṭra to get rid of such an unworthy son as Duryodhana as soon as possible if he was at all anxious to see to the good of his family.
FAQs
This verse states that when one becomes averse to Kṛṣṇa (kṛṣṇād-vimukhaḥ), one’s śrī—good fortune and auspiciousness—departs, because life becomes guided by material attachment rather than devotion.
Vidura warns Dhṛtarāṣṭra that clinging to household comfort and envy toward the Supreme keeps him bound for Yama’s path; the harsh tone is compassionate urgency meant to awaken detachment and bhakti.
Reduce ego and envy, center daily life on remembrance and service of Kṛṣṇa, and treat family duty as spiritual responsibility—otherwise comfort becomes complacency that pulls one away from true welfare.