Shloka 4
Kapila’s Devotional Sāṅkhya: Sādhu-saṅga, Bhakti-yoga, and Fearlessness in the Supreme Shelter
सूत उवाच द्वैपायनसखस्त्वेवं मैत्रेयो भगवांस्तथा । प्राहेदं विदुरं प्रीत आन्वीक्षिक्यां प्रचोदित: ॥ ४ ॥
sūta uvāca dvaipāyana-sakhas tv evaṁ maitreyo bhagavāṁs tathā prāhedaṁ viduraṁ prīta ānvīkṣikyāṁ pracoditaḥ
Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said: Thus, pleased and inspired by Vidura’s inquiry into transcendental knowledge, the powerful sage Maitreya—friend of Vyāsadeva—spoke to Vidura as follows.
Questions and answers are very satisfactorily dealt with when the inquirer is bona fide and the speaker is also authorized. Here Maitreya is considered a powerful sage, and therefore he is also described as bhagavān. This word can be used not only for the Supreme Personality of Godhead but for anyone who is almost as powerful as the Supreme Lord. Maitreya is addressed as bhagavān because he was spiritually far advanced. He was a personal friend of Dvaipāyana Vyāsadeva, a literary incarnation of the Lord. Maitreya was very pleased with the inquiries of Vidura because they were the inquiries of a bona fide, advanced devotee. Thus Maitreya was encouraged to answer. When there are discourses on transcendental topics between devotees of equal mentality, the questions and answers are very fruitful and encouraging.
FAQs
It says that Sūta describes how the sage Maitreya—friend of Vyāsa—being pleased with Vidura and urged by spiritual inquiry, began speaking to him.
Because Vidura’s sincere inquiry into truth (ānvīkṣikī) pleased Maitreya, prompting him to instruct Vidura on higher spiritual topics.
By asking sincere, practical questions about the self, God, and purpose—then studying authentic scriptures and hearing from realized teachers with humility and consistency.