Shloka 44
Vidura’s Return; Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Departure; Nārada’s Instruction on Kāla and Detachment
यन्मन्यसे ध्रुवं लोकमध्रुवं वा न चोभयम् । सर्वथा न हि शोच्यास्ते स्नेहादन्यत्र मोहजात् ॥ ४४ ॥
yan manyase dhruvaṁ lokam adhruvaṁ vā na cobhayam sarvathā na hi śocyās te snehād anyatra mohajāt
அரசே, நீ ஆத்மாவை நித்தியமெனக் கருதினாலும், உடலை அநித்தியமெனக் கருதினாலும், அல்லது அனைத்தும் நிர்குணப் பிரம்மமே எனக் கருதினாலும், அல்லது பொருள்-சைதன்யத்தின் விளக்கமறியாத கலவையென எண்ணினாலும்—பிரிவின் துயரம் மாயைபிறந்த பாசத்தினாலேயே உண்டாகிறது; வேறொன்றுமில்லை।
The actual fact is that every living being is an individual part and parcel of the Supreme Being, and his constitutional position is subordinate cooperative service. Either in his conditional material existence or in his liberated position of full knowledge and eternity, the living entity is eternally under the control of the Supreme Lord. But those who are not conversant with factual knowledge put forward many speculative propositions about the real position of the living entity. It is admitted, however, by all schools of philosophy that the living being is eternal and that the covering body of the five material elements is perishable and temporary. The eternal living entity transmigrates from one material body to another by the law of karma, and material bodies are perishable by their fundamental structures. Therefore there is nothing to be lamented in the case of the soul’s being transferred into another body, or the material body’s perishing at a certain stage. There are others also who believe in the merging of the spirit soul in the Supreme Spirit when it is uncovered by the material encagement, and there are others also who do not believe in the existence of spirit or soul, but believe in tangible matter. In our daily experience we find so many transformations of matter from one form to another, but we do not lament such changing features. In either of the above cases, the force of divine energy is uncheckable; no one has any hand in it, and thus there is no cause of grief.
FAQs
This verse explains that lamentation is not truly justified; it arises from attachment (sneha) that is rooted in delusion (moha).
Vidura was awakening Dhritarashtra to spiritual clarity, urging him to give up bodily attachment and stop lamenting, so he could renounce and seek liberation.
When anxiety or grief arises, examine the attachment beneath it and re-center on the soul’s eternal nature and devotion, reducing delusion-driven dependence on temporary outcomes.