Vidura Neeti.

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There are certain spots in Mahabharatha which can be considered to be gems.First is the conversation between Nahusha and Yudhishtra set in the Vanaparva.This parva abounds in dissertations on dharma when exiled prince Yudhishtra holds conversation with many rishis who come to visit him. The second also a conversation,is that between Yudhishtra and the Lord of Dharma.This is right at the end of Vana Parva and it is well known by the name of Yaksha Prasna. The third is Vaidurikam,incidentally,better known as Vidura Neeti,has not enjoyed the popularity of the Yaksha Prasna or the Bhagavat Gita.Perhaps the beginning is very innocuous and one is tempted to skip the pages.But it is a verybeautiful portion of the epic and deserves serious study.Here is set forth,in easy and simple steps,the lesson of dharma which can be practiced by all. It is the middle of the night.Summoned by the king,Vidura hurries to the

royal apartments.He sees the old man sitting by himself."Vidura",says the king in a piteous voice,"Sanjaya has just gone after censuring me for my conduct.He will speak about his journey to Upaplavya tomorrow in the assembly hall.I am so worried about the future of my sons that I am not able to sleep.Tell me what is good for a sleepless man like me.Confort me,Vidura". Vidura's talk begins in a sarcastic vein.He says "Only a thief is affiliated by this malady.,so is a lustful person.It goes without saying that a man who has lost all his wealth and a man who has not been able to succeed in life keep them company.Neither can the man sleep who is attacked by a stronger man.Do you, my lord,grieve becoz you covet the wealth of others?". Dhritharashtra is familiar with the bitter and acid tongue of his brother.He knows that all the descriptions fit him as Vidura meant them to.But

he is too far gone in his despair to resent the words of Vidura.He implores his brother to talk to him 'words of wisdom'.We then hear the beautiful dissertation of Vidura on dharma.All the codes of behaviour are dealt with systemmatically. Vidura's approach is delightful.He begins with generalities and then goes on to emphasise the importance of behaviour.,about what shuld be done by a man and if he is to be considered a well-behaved person.Here is an example."A man shuld be able to discriminate between the Two by means of the One.He shuld be able to bring under his control the Three with the help of the Four.He must be able to vanquish the Five.He shuld know the Six and beware of the Seven.This is thepath of happiness.".Cryptic statements like this are quite common in theepic. By One is meant the Intellect and by Two the right and wrong,Three stands for friend,stranger and foe.,while Four is meant to represent conciliation,gift,disunion and severity.Five stands for the senses and Six signifies treaty,war etc., the essentials of a Kshatriya.Seven enumerates the seven temptations in the path of a king., women,dice,hunting,harshness of speech,drinking,severity of punishment and waste of wealth. Vidura tries to make his lesson as attractive as possible.He makes out a list of the qualities a man must hv and those he has to avoid.,he arranges them in a very attractive manner.He uses the numbers one to ten and in the series is threaded the list of qualities.Righteousness is the one highest good.,forgiveness the one supreme peace.,knowledge the one supreme contentment,and benevolence the one sole happiness.We then come to two.A nmber of things are enumerated in twos:for example a man may attain renown by two things. refraining from harsh

speech and disregarding those that are wicked.Then follow the series of qualities taken three at a time:lust,anger and covetousness are destructive to one's self and are the gates to hell.A learned king,says Vidura shuld not confer with these four:men of small sense,men given to procrastination men that are indolent and men that are flatterers.In other words he describes the court of the Kauravas and the sycophants of Duryodhana in particular. Talling abt the five, he says;of the five senses belonging to man,if one springs a leak.from that one leak runs out all the intelligence of man like water running out of a perforated leathern vessel".One who masters the six,namely lust,anger,grief,confusion of the intellect,pride and vanity,will naturally become master of the senses and will never commit sin.Six faults shuld be aoided by a man who desires

prosperity:sleep,drowsiness,fear,anger,indolence and procrastination.A king shuld renounce seven:women,wine etc.Eight qualities glorify a man:wisdom,high birth,self-restraint,prowess,moderation in speech,gift according to one's power and gratitude,respect.This house has nine doors,three pillars and five witnesses and it is presided over by a soul.These ten do not know what virtueis:the intoxicated,the inattentive,the raving,the fatigued,the angry,the the starving,the hasty,the covetous,the frightened and the lustful. Summing up Vidura says:'That man who does not grieve when calamity,has already come upon him;who exerts himself with all his senses controlled,and who bears his misery in season is the foremost of men and all his foes are vanquished".Incientally he was describing Yudhishtra and the king knew it. Vidura adds the one fails to make any impression

and the other is none the wiser for all the talk since he has insulated himself from all that is good for him. Then he speaks on behaviour and then about conduct which goes deeper intothe texture of the mind,the heart and the power of thinking.'Intoxication is wealth' says Vidura,'is much worse than wine since a man drunk with power of wealth can never be brought to his senses unless he has a fall.Like the moon during the bright fortnight, calamities increase for him who is under the tyranny of the five senses'. In this way it goes on to Vidura's sorrow,fruitlessly.After listening to the wise words of Vidura the old king can only say:Man is not the dispenser of either his prosperity or his adversity.He is like a wooden doll moved by strings.Indeed the Creator has made man the victim of destiny'.No creature is able to transgress the destiny.Destiny is,I think,certain to take its

course.Individual exertion is futile.,the old king laments.This is despite the fact Vidura advises illustrious and mighty kings ,having ruled the earth abounding in corns and wealth,hv become victims of the universal destroyer,leaving behind their kingdoms and vast resources of enjoyments.When a man dies,only two go with him to the other world,his merits and sins.Only these two keep him company.Therefore shuld man,carefully and gradually,earn the merit of righteouness'.However the sane advice was not accepted by the king and his nemesis came in the end in sorrows and tragedies. Hare Krishna.

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