Shloka 28
Vidura’s Return; Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Departure; Nārada’s Instruction on Kāla and Detachment
अथोदीचीं दिशं यातु स्वैरज्ञातगतिर्भवान् । इतोऽर्वाक्प्रायश: काल: पुंसां गुणविकर्षण: ॥ २८ ॥
athodīcīṁ diśaṁ yātu svair ajñāta-gatir bhavān ito ’rvāk prāyaśaḥ kālaḥ puṁsāṁ guṇa-vikarṣaṇaḥ
కాబట్టి, దయచేసి మీ బంధువులకు తెలియజేయకుండా వెంటనే ఉత్తర దిశకు వెళ్ళండి, ఎందుకంటే మనుషుల మంచి గుణాలను తగ్గించే ఆ సమయం (కలియుగం) త్వరలో రాబోతోంది.
One can compensate for a life of frustration by becoming a dhīra, or leaving home for good without communicating with relatives, and Vidura advised his eldest brother to adopt this way without delay because very quickly the Age of Kali was approaching. A conditioned soul is already degraded by the material association, and still in the Kali-yuga the good qualities of a man will deteriorate to the lowest standard. He was advised to leave home before Kali-yuga approached because the atmosphere which was created by Vidura, his valuable instructions on the facts of life, would fade away due to the influence of the age which was fast approaching. To become narottama, or a first-class human being depending completely on the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is not possible for any ordinary man. It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.28) that a person who is completely relieved of all taints of sinful acts can alone depend on the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. Dhṛtarāṣṭra was advised by Vidura at least to become a dhīra in the beginning if it were impossible for him to become a sannyāsī or a narottama. Persistently endeavoring on the line of self-realization helps a person to rise to the conditions of a narottama from the stage of a dhīra. The dhīra stage is attained after prolonged practice of the yoga system, but by the grace of Vidura one can attain the stage immediately simply by willing to adopt the means of the dhīra stage, which is the preparatory stage for sannyāsa. The sannyāsa stage is the preparatory stage of paramahaṁsa, or the first-grade devotee of the Lord.
FAQs
This verse says the coming time is largely “guṇa-vikarṣaṇa”—it pulls people downward through the influence of the material modes, urging one to seek spiritual shelter before degradation intensifies.
Vidura urged Dhṛtarāṣṭra to detach from palace life and leave quietly for spiritual practice, avoiding social entanglements and the weakening effects of the age.
Recognize how time and habits can increase passion and ignorance; simplify life, reduce distractions, and prioritize sādhana (hearing, chanting, and remembrance of the Lord) before negative patterns deepen.