Shloka 26
Vidura’s Return; Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Departure; Nārada’s Instruction on Kāla and Detachment
गतस्वार्थमिमं देहं विरक्तो मुक्तबन्धन: । अविज्ञातगतिर्जह्यात् स वै धीर उदाहृत: ॥ २६ ॥
gata-svārtham imaṁ dehaṁ virakto mukta-bandhanaḥ avijñāta-gatir jahyāt sa vai dhīra udāhṛtaḥ
اسے 'دھیر' (باوقار) کہا جاتا ہے جو کسی نامعلوم، دور دراز مقام پر جاتا ہے اور تمام ذمہ داریوں سے آزاد ہو کر، اپنے بیکار مادی جسم کو چھوڑ دیتا ہے۔
Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, a great devotee and ācārya of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sect, has sung, “My Lord, I have simply wasted my life. Having obtained the human body, I have neglected to worship Your Lordship, and therefore I have willingly drunk poison.” In other words, the human body is especially meant for cultivating knowledge of devotional service to the Lord, without which life becomes full of anxieties and miserable conditions. Therefore, one who has spoiled his life without such cultural activities is advised to leave home without knowledge of friends and relatives and, being thus freed from all obligations of family, society, country, etc., give up the body at some unknown destination so that others may not know where and how he has met his death. Dhīra means one who is not disturbed, even when there is sufficient provocation. One cannot give up a comfortable family life due to his affectionate relation with wife and children. Self-realization is obstructed by such undue affection for family, and if anyone is at all able to forget such a relation, he is called undisturbed, or dhīra. This is, however, the path of renunciation based on a frustrated life, but stabilization of such renunciation is possible only by association with bona fide saints and self-realized souls by which one can be engaged in the loving devotional service of the Lord. Sincere surrender unto the lotus feet of the Lord is possible by awakening the transcendental sense of service. This is made possible by association with pure devotees of the Lord. Dhṛtarāṣṭra was lucky enough to have a brother whose very association was a source of liberation for this frustrated life.
FAQs
This verse defines a dhīra as one who becomes detached, freed from material bondage, and gives up the body after fulfilling its purpose, without being entangled in worldly identification or publicity.
Vidura was urging Dhritarashtra to renounce household attachment and prepare for liberation, leaving behind dependence and bondage, especially after the destruction of the Kuru dynasty and the onset of old age.
Live with purpose and responsibility, but steadily cultivate vairāgya—reduce needless attachments, deepen spiritual practice, and remember that the body is temporary while aiming for a life oriented toward liberation.