Vyasa Reveals Vidura as Dharma

Verse 1 (15.30.1)

ततः समुपविष्टेषु पाण्डवेषु महात्मसु । व्यासः सत्यवतीपुत्रः प्रोवाचामन्त्र्य पार्थिवम् ॥

tataḥ samupaviṣṭeṣu pāṇḍaveṣu mahātmasu | vyāsaḥ satyavatīputraḥ provācāmantrya pārthivam

When the great-souled Pandavas had taken their seats, Vyasa, Satyavati's son, addressed the king:

Note on the text: Recension variant in the first line: the critical edition (15.35.1) reads तथा for ततः.

Verse 2 (15.30.2)

धृतराष्ट्र महाबाहो कच्चित्ते वर्तते तपः । कच्चिन्मनस्ते प्रीणाति वनवासे नराधिप ॥

dhṛtarāṣṭra mahābāho kaccitte vartate tapaḥ | kaccinmanaste prīṇāti vanavāse narādhipa

"Dhritarashtra, mighty-armed, does your austerity go on? Does your mind find pleasure in living in the forest, O lord of men?

Note on the text: Recension variant: the critical edition (15.35.2) reads वर्धते for वर्तते.

Verse 3 (15.30.3)

कच्चिद्धृदि न ते शोको राजन्पुत्रविनाशजः । कच्चिज्ज्ञानानि सर्वाणि सुप्रसन्नानि तेऽनघ ॥

kacciddhṛdi na te śoko rājanputravināśajaḥ | kaccijjñānāni sarvāṇi suprasannāni te'nagha

Is there no grief in your heart, O king, born of the loss of your sons? Are all your understandings quite serene, O blameless one?

Verse 4 (15.30.4)

कच्चिद्बुद्धिं दृढां कृत्वा चरस्यारण्यकं विधिम् । कच्चिद्वधूश्च गान्धारी न शोकेनाभिभूयते ॥

kaccidbuddhiṃ dṛḍhāṃ kṛtvā carasyāraṇyakaṃ vidhim | kaccidvadhūśca gāndhārī na śokenābhibhūyate

Do you follow the forest discipline having made your resolve firm? And is your wife Gandhari not overcome by sorrow?

Verse 5 (15.30.5)

महाप्रज्ञा बुद्धिमती देवी धर्मार्थदर्शिनी । आगमापायतत्त्वज्ञा कच्चिदेषा न शोचति ॥

mahāprajñā buddhimatī devī dharmārthadarśinī | āgamāpāyatattvajñā kaccideṣā na śocati

That queen of great wisdom and understanding, who sees dharma and artha, who knows how things come and pass away — does she not grieve?

Verse 6 (15.30.6)

कच्चित्कुन्ती च राजंस्त्वां शुश्रूषत्यनहङ्कृता । या परित्यज्य स्वं पुत्रं गुरुशुश्रूषणे रता ॥

kaccitkuntī ca rājaṃstvāṃ śuśrūṣatyanahaṅkṛtā | yā parityajya svaṃ putraṃ guruśuśrūṣaṇe ratā

And does Kunti serve you, free of pride — she who gave up her own son and is devoted to serving her elders?

Note on the text: Recension variant: Wikisource reads स्वं पुत्रं "her own son"; the critical edition (15.35.6) reads स्वं राज्यम् "her own kingdom", which Wikisource's own commentary records as the क and थ manuscripts' reading.

Verse 7 (15.30.7)

कच्चिद्धर्मसुतो राजा त्वया प्रत्यभिनन्दितः । भीमार्जुनयमाश्चैव कच्चिदेतेऽपि सान्त्विताः ॥

kacciddharmasuto rājā tvayā pratyabhinanditaḥ | bhīmārjunayamāścaiva kaccidete'pi sāntvitāḥ

Have you welcomed Dharma's son, the king? And have Bhima, Arjuna and the twins also been consoled by you?

Note on the text: Corrected सान्तिताः → सान्त्विताः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped conjunct त्व; the participle is सान्त्वित "consoled", and the critical edition reads sāntvitāḥ).

Verse 8 (15.30.8)

कच्चिन्नन्दसि दृष्ट्वैतान्कच्चित्ते निर्मलं मनः । कच्चिच्च शुद्धभावोसि जातज्ञानो नराधिप ॥

kaccinnandasi dṛṣṭvaitānkaccitte nirmalaṃ manaḥ | kaccicca śuddhabhāvosi jātajñāno narādhipa

Are you glad to see them? Is your mind pure? And are you of purified feeling, with knowledge arisen in you, O lord of men?

Note on the text: Corrected दृष्ट्रैतान् → दृष्ट्वैतान् (misprint in Wikisource; र for व; the absolutive is दृष्ट्वा "having seen", and the critical edition reads dṛṣṭvaitān). Corrected कच्चिते → कच्चित्ते (misprint in Wikisource; dropped त्; the particle कच्चित् before ते is meant, and the critical edition reads kaccit te).

Verse 9 (15.30.9)

एतद्धि त्रितयं श्रेष्ठं सर्वभूतेषु भारत । निर्वैरता महाराज सत्यमक्रोध एव च ॥

etaddhi tritayaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ sarvabhūteṣu bhārata | nirvairatā mahārāja satyamakrodha eva ca

These three are the best among all beings, O Bharata: freedom from enmity, truthfulness, and freedom from anger, O great king.

Note on the text: Recension variant: the critical edition (15.35.9) reads सत्यमद्रोह "truthfulness and freedom from malice" for Wikisource's सत्यमक्रोध.

Verse 10 (15.30.10)

कच्चित्ते न च मोहोस्ति वनवासेन भारत । स्वदते वन्यमन्नं वा उपवासोपि वा भवेत् ॥

kaccitte na ca mohosti vanavāsena bhārata | svadate vanyamannaṃ vā upavāsopi vā bhavet

Is there no bewilderment in you from living in the forest, O Bharata? Does wild food please you, or, as may be, fasting?

Note on the text: Corrected स्वदत्ते → स्वदते (misprint in Wikisource; doubled त; the verb is स्वदते "is relished", and the critical edition reads svadate). Recension variant: the critical edition (15.35.10) reads कच्चित्ते नानुतापोऽस्ति and मुनिवासांसि वा विभो.

Verse 11 (15.30.11)

विदितं चापि राजेन्द्र विदुरस्य महात्मनः । गमनं विधिनाऽनेन धर्मस्य सुमहात्मनः ॥

viditaṃ cāpi rājendra vidurasya mahātmanaḥ | gamanaṃ vidhinā'nena dharmasya sumahātmanaḥ

I know, O king of kings, of the departure of the great-souled Vidura in this manner, he who was Dharma himself, a soul of the greatest.

Note on the text: Wikisource has विदितं चापि राजेन्द्र where the critical edition (15.35.11) reads विदितं चापि मे राजन्, with "to me"; the translation supplies the knower as Vyasa. The second line also differs (विधिनाऽनेन for विधिना येन).

Verse 12 (15.30.12)

माण्डव्यशापाद्धि स वै धर्मो विदुरतां गतः । महाबुद्धिर्महायोगी महात्मा सुमहामनाः ॥

māṇḍavyaśāpāddhi sa vai dharmo viduratāṃ gataḥ | mahābuddhirmahāyogī mahātmā sumahāmanāḥ

By Mandavya's curse that very Dharma came to be Vidura: of great intellect, a great yogi, a great soul, of vast mind.

Verse 13 (15.30.13)

बृहस्पतिर्वा देवेषु शुक्रो वाऽप्यसुरेषु च । न तथा बुद्धिसम्पन्नो यथा स पुरुषर्षभः ॥

bṛhaspatirvā deveṣu śukro vā'pyasureṣu ca | na tathā buddhisampanno yathā sa puruṣarṣabhaḥ

Neither Brihaspati among the gods nor Shukra among the asuras was as rich in wisdom as that bull among men.

Verse 14 (15.30.14)

तपोबलव्ययं कृत्वा सुचिरात्सम्भृतं तदा । माण्डव्येनर्षिणा धर्मो ह्यभिभूतः सनातनः ॥

tapobalavyayaṃ kṛtvā sucirātsambhṛtaṃ tadā | māṇḍavyenarṣiṇā dharmo hyabhibhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ

After he had spent the store of austerity he had long gathered, the sage Mandavya brought eternal Dharma under his power.

Verse 15 (15.30.15)

नियोगाद्ब्रह्मणः पूर्वं मया स्वेन बलेन च । वैचित्रवीर्यके क्षेत्रे जातः स सुमहामतिः ॥

niyogādbrahmaṇaḥ pūrvaṃ mayā svena balena ca | vaicitravīryake kṣetre jātaḥ sa sumahāmatiḥ

By Brahma's command, in the past, through my own power, that man of great intelligence was born in Vichitravirya's field.

Verse 16 (15.30.16)

भ्राता तव महाराज देवदेवः सनातनः । धारणान्मनसा ध्यानाद्यं धर्मं कवयो विदुः ॥

bhrātā tava mahārāja devadevaḥ sanātanaḥ | dhāraṇānmanasā dhyānādyaṃ dharmaṃ kavayo viduḥ

Your brother, O great king, is the eternal god of gods, whom the wise know as Dharma, through concentration, mind and meditation —

Note on the text: Corrected ध्यानाद्य धर्म → ध्यानाद्यं धर्मं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvaras; the relative यम् and the object धर्मम् are meant, and the critical edition reads dhyānād yaṃ dharmaṃ).

Verse 17 (15.30.17)

सत्येन संवर्धयति यो दमेन शमेन च । अहिंसया च दानेन तपसा च सनातनः ॥

satyena saṃvardhayati yo damena śamena ca | ahiṃsayā ca dānena tapasā ca sanātanaḥ

he who makes all grow through truth, self-control and calm, through non-violence, giving and austerity — the eternal one —

Verse 18 (15.30.18)

येन योगबलाज्जातः कुरुराजो युधिष्ठिरः । धर्म इत्येष नृपते प्राज्ञेनामितबुद्धिना ॥

yena yogabalājjātaḥ kururājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | dharma ityeṣa nṛpate prājñenāmitabuddhinā

by whom, through the power of yoga, Yudhishthira the Kuru king was begotten. He is Dharma indeed, O king, this wise one of immeasurable intelligence.

Verse 19 (15.30.19)

यथा वह्निर्यथा वायुर्यथाऽऽपः पृथिवी यथा । यथाऽऽकाशं तथा धर्म इह चामुत्र च स्थितः ॥

yathā vahniryathā vāyuryathā''paḥ pṛthivī yathā | yathā''kāśaṃ tathā dharma iha cāmutra ca sthitaḥ

As fire, as wind, as water, as earth, as space, so Dharma is established here and in the world beyond.

Verse 20 (15.30.20)

सर्वगश्चैव राजेन्द्र सर्वं व्याप्य चराचरम् । दृश्यते देवदेवैः स सिद्धैर्निर्मुक्तकल्मषैः ॥

sarvagaścaiva rājendra sarvaṃ vyāpya carācaram | dṛśyate devadevaiḥ sa siddhairnirmuktakalmaṣaiḥ

He is all-pervading, O king of kings, pervading all that moves and does not move, and he is seen by the foremost gods and by the perfected, free from sin.

Verse 21 (15.30.21)

यो हि धर्मः स विदुरो विदुरो यः स पाण्डवः । स एष राजन्दृश्यस्ते पाण्डवः प्रेष्यवत्स्थितः ॥

yo hi dharmaḥ sa viduro viduro yaḥ sa pāṇḍavaḥ | sa eṣa rājandṛśyaste pāṇḍavaḥ preṣyavatsthitaḥ

He who is Dharma is Vidura, and he who is Vidura is a Pandava; and that very one, O king, is seen by you standing like a servant.

Note on the text: Corrected माण्डवः → पाण्डवः (misprint in Wikisource; म for प; "Pandava" is meant, completing the chain "Dharma is Vidura, Vidura is a Pandava", and the critical edition reads pāṇḍavaḥ). Recension variant: Wikisource has दृश्यस्ते "is seen by you", the critical edition (15.35.21) वश्यस्ते "is under your control".

Verse 22 (15.30.22)

प्रविष्टः स महात्मानं भ्राता ते बुद्धिसम्मतः । दृष्ट्वा महात्मा कौन्तेयं महायोगबलान्वितः ॥

praviṣṭaḥ sa mahātmānaṃ bhrātā te buddhisammataḥ | dṛṣṭvā mahātmā kaunteyaṃ mahāyogabalānvitaḥ

Your brother, esteemed for his wisdom, has entered the great-souled son of Kunti, having seen him — the great-souled one, endowed with the power of great yoga.

Verse 23 (15.30.23)

त्वां चापि श्रेयसा योक्ष्ये नचिराद्भरतर्षभ । संशयच्छेदनार्थाय प्राप्तं मां विद्धि पुत्रक ॥

tvāṃ cāpi śreyasā yokṣye nacirādbharatarṣabha | saṃśayacchedanārthāya prāptaṃ māṃ viddhi putraka

I shall soon unite you too with what is best, O best of the Bharatas. Know, my son, that I have come to cut away your doubts.

Verse 24 (15.30.24)

न कृतं यैः पुरा कैश्चित्कर्म लोके महर्षिभिः । आश्चर्यभूतं तपसः फलं तद्दर्शयामि वः ॥

na kṛtaṃ yaiḥ purā kaiścitkarma loke maharṣibhiḥ | āścaryabhūtaṃ tapasaḥ phalaṃ taddarśayāmi vaḥ

I shall show you the wondrous fruit of austerity, a deed that no great sage in the world has ever done before.

Verse 25 (15.30.25)

किमिच्छसि महीपाल मत्तः प्राप्तुमभीप्सितम् । द्रष्टुं स्प्रष्टुमथ श्रोतुं तत्कर्तास्मि तवानघ ॥

kimicchasi mahīpāla mattaḥ prāptumabhīpsitam | draṣṭuṃ spraṣṭumatha śrotuṃ tatkartāsmi tavānagha

What do you wish to obtain from me, O protector of the earth — to see, to touch or to hear? I shall do it for you, O blameless one."

Note on the text: Corrected द्रष्ट्रुं → द्रष्टुं (misprint in Wikisource; doubled र; the infinitive is द्रष्टुम् "to see", and the critical edition reads draṣṭuṃ). First line is a recension variant: the critical edition (15.35.25) reads प्राप्तुममानुषम् "something beyond the human" for Wikisource's प्राप्तुमभीप्सितम् "what you desire"; the second line also differs (वद कर्तास्मि तत्तथा).