The end of Vidura

Dhritarashtra mentioned that Vidura was roaming about the forest as a Yati barely sustaining life by breathing. Just at that moment the Pandava could see a skeleton like figure walking towards him.

It was difficult to recognize his uncle in his present state. The Pandava king announced himself with all reverence and moved with quick steps forward to greet him. Vidura, it appeared, looked at Yudhishthira without batting his eye lids. At that time the Pandava king felt that those eyes penetrated deep into his own. He also felt that a great power had entered into his body and filled every cell within. Yudhishthira felt himself in such perfect tranquility in mind at that time the like of which he had never felt before. He also felt that he became internally much stronger and wiser.

As this happened Yudhishthira also noticed that the body of Vidura collapsed against a tree that stood right behind him. The lifeless eyes of his uncle remained open. The extraordinary life of the great Vidura had come to an end.

Yudhishthira was overcome with sorrow and bewilderment. He had great regard for his wise and loving uncle all along. But, only the lifeless body of the saint like Vidura remained.

The Pandava king realized that his immediate duty was to perform the proper cremation of the body of his uncle. Just at that time a voice was heard from the sky. “Oh, King! You should not think of cremating this body because he has followed the path of Yatis. Know that he has become one with you in body and soul. Do not repent for his loss.”

Yudhishthira was overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events and hearing those words. He returned to Dhritarashtra and reported the matter to him. The blind king and all those around him were astonished listening to the extraordinary end to the life of Vidura.

Dhritarashtra’s Hospitality

Later on the day Dhritarashtra offered some nuts, fruit and water to his visitors from Hastinapura and said. “This is what I have that I can offer you by way of hospitality. You should be satisfied with this.”

All ate what the ascetic king offered them. The Pandavas spent the night sleeping next to their mother. The others slept underneath trees around the hermitage.

The hermitage of Dhritarashtra

Next morning all performed their morning rituals and went around the place with the permission of Dhritarashtra. The beauty and tranquility of the place won the admiration of the visitors from Hastinapura.

They could find hermits performing rituals in front of fire in small groups here and there. The sound of their chanting of Vedic hymns filled the air. The smoke that rose from the ritual fire covered wild flowers on trees around. It appeared that the flowers, themselves, were like hermits performing the offerings in front of fire. Herds of deer stood in groups here and there unconcerned of human presence. Peacocks danced with joy. The cuckoos sang “kuhoo, kuhoo” beautifully aloud. The serenity of the hermitage and its surroundings filled the minds of the Pandavas with great joy and admiration.

Yudhishthira had brought gifts of pitchers and other vessels used in rituals made of copper, silver and even gold. He distributed them to all the hermits who lived in the forests near by.

One month passed this way in which the Pandavas enjoyed the serene life in the forest in the company of their mother, uncle and aunt, and other ascetics. Then, one day the great Vedavyasa reached the place with his disciples. Several other sages, including Satayupa were present in the hermitage of Dhritarashtra at that time.

Vedavyasa enquired of the welfare of Dhritarashtra and of those who stayed with him in the forest. He asked whether the king was happy to meet his nephews forgetting all past ill feelings. Then, he narrated the story behind the birth of Vidura to all those who had assembled.

It was widely known that the god of Righteousness, called the Dharmaraja (dharmaraaja), was cursed by a sage by name Ani Mandavya to be born as human for punishing him too severely for one of his childhood pranks. Dharmaraja, then, took birth as the son of Vedavyasa to the maid of Gandhari. (We have gone through this earlier, in the beginning of the Mahabharata story). All the gods are infinite in form and only one part of the god of Dharma was born as Vidura. Another part took birth as Yudhishthira. The god, yet, continued to perform his duties based in heaven by punishing or rewarding humans for their evil or meritorious actions.

Vyasa concluded his story saying that Vidura and Yudhishthira were one and the same person. He said that the purpose of his present visit was to make this point clear. Then, he offered the king and the queens that he would fulfill whatever desire they had in their hearts.

The present chapter, “of life in the hermitage (aaSrama vaasika parvam)” ends here.