Shloka 37
Vidura’s Return; Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Departure; Nārada’s Instruction on Kāla and Detachment
सञ्जय उवाच नाहं वेद व्यवसितं पित्रोर्व: कुलनन्दन । गान्धार्या वा महाबाहो मुषितोऽस्मि महात्मभि: ॥ ३७ ॥
sañjaya uvāca nāhaṁ veda vyavasitaṁ pitror vaḥ kula-nandana gāndhāryā vā mahā-bāho muṣito ’smi mahātmabhiḥ
സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ കുരുകുലനന്ദന, മഹാബാഹോ! നിങ്ങളുടെ രണ്ടു പിതൃവ്യന്മാരുടെയും ഗാന്ധാരിയുടെയും തീരുമാനത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് എനിക്ക് ഒന്നും അറിയില്ല. ഹേ രാജാവേ, ആ മഹാത്മാക്കൾ എന്നെ വഞ്ചിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു.
That great souls cheat others may be astonishing to know, but it is a fact that great souls cheat others for a great cause. It is said that Lord Kṛṣṇa also advised Yudhiṣṭhira to tell a lie before Droṇācārya, and it was also for a great cause. The Lord wanted it, and therefore it was a great cause. Satisfaction of the Lord is the criterion of one who is bona fide, and the highest perfection of life is to satisfy the Lord by one’s occupational duty. That is the verdict of Gītā and Bhāgavatam. * Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Vidura, followed by Gāndhārī, did not disclose their determination to Sañjaya, although he was constantly with Dhṛtarāṣṭra as his personal assistant. Sañjaya never thought that Dhṛtarāṣṭra could perform any act without consulting him. But Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s going away from home was so confidential that it could not be disclosed even to Sañjaya. Sanātana Gosvāmī also cheated the keeper of the prison house while going away to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and similarly Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī also cheated his priest and left home for good to satisfy the Lord. To satisfy the Lord, anything is good, for it is in relation with the Absolute Truth. We also had the same opportunity to cheat the family members and leave home to engage in the service of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Such cheating was necessary for a great cause, and there is no loss for any party in such transcendental fraud.
FAQs
It shows Sañjaya telling Yudhiṣṭhira that he does not know Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Gāndhārī’s plans, because saintly persons have intentionally kept him uninformed.
Because Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s departure for renunciation was guided discreetly by saintly counsel, and Sañjaya was not included in that confidential plan.
Accept that spiritually mature people may act quietly for higher good; practice humility, avoid speculation, and support dharmic transitions like detachment and responsible retirement.