Shloka 33
Bhāgīrathī-tīra-śauca, Kurukṣetra-gamana, and Śatayūpa-āśrama-dīkṣā (गङ्गातीरशौच–कुरुक्षेत्रगमन–शतयूपाश्रमदीक्षा)
लोका: सान्तानिका नाम भविष्यन्त्यस्थ भारत । यतिधर्ममवाप्तोडसौ नैष शोच्य: परंतप,अब दिद्दान् धर्मराजने वहीं विदुरके शरीरका दाह-संस्कार करनेका विचार किया। इतनेहीमें आकाशवाणी हुई--“राजन्! शत्रुसंतापी भरतनन्दन! इस विदुर नामक शरीरका यहाँ दाह-संस्कार करना उचित नहीं है; क्योंकि वे संन्यास-धर्मका पालन करते थे। यहाँ उनका दाह न करना ही तुम्हारे लिये सनातन धर्म है। विदुरजीको सान्तानिक नामक लोकोंकी प्राप्ति होगी; अतः उनके लिये शोक नहीं करना चाहिये”
lokāḥ sāntānikā nāma bhaviṣyanty asya bhārata | yatidharmaṃ avāpto 'sau naiṣa śocyaḥ parantapa ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O Bhārata, for him there will be worlds called Sāntānika. Since he has attained the discipline of the renunciant (yati-dharma), he is not one to be mourned, O scorcher of foes.” In context, the heavenly voice restrains the king from performing cremation rites for Vidura’s body, affirming that honoring the renunciant’s rule is itself dharma and that Vidura’s spiritual attainment removes the basis for grief.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should not cling to conventional rites or grief when a person has attained yati-dharma (renunciant discipline). Spiritual attainment and adherence to ascetic rule redefine what is appropriate (dharma) and remove the basis for mourning.
As the king considers performing the cremation for Vidura’s body, a heavenly voice declares that cremation here is not proper because Vidura lived by renunciant discipline; instead, the king should refrain, and Vidura is said to attain the Sāntānika worlds—therefore he should not be mourned.