Vidura continued his counsel to the king and said, O Dhritarashtra, your mind is aflame with vengeance against the sons of Pandu, yet what profit lies in such resolve. In your own lineage is born a prince resplendent in brilliance, courage, and virtue, the noble Dharmaraja, endowed with every excellent quality. Is it right that such a one should be driven far from the wealth that is his due. He is calm, self-restrained, and ever mindful of your seniority and royal station.
King Dhritarashtra replied, Vidura, my mind finds no satisfaction in this discourse on morals. Yet he continued to listen, for his blindness and his want of firmness in grave decisions had brought him to this pitiable state. Vidura’s words were lucid, and the king was given a rare chance to weigh the merits of Duryodhana against those of Dharmaraja. Until the break of dawn, Vidura spoke unceasingly of values and righteousness. When he paused after praising the virtues of Dharmaraja, the king urged him to continue, confessing that he had not yet grasped what he sought, a sign made plain of his troubled and wavering mind.
Obeying the king’s command, Vidura said, Listen well. When a moment arises in which one must weigh the sum of all merits on one side and unwavering adherence to virtue on the other, the Vedas proclaim that the wealth of virtue is beyond compare. He who follows virtue gains prosperity in this world and attains the higher realms hereafter. In ancient times, a moral dilemma arose between Virochana, son of Prahlada, and Sudhanva, son of the sage Angirasa. Both desired to wed the princess Keshini, each claiming superiority, and they staked their very lives on Prahlada’s judgment. Prahlada ruled that Sudhanva was the superior, and though Virochana’s life was forfeit, Sudhanva, moved by Prahlada’s truthfulness, spared him. Torn between love for his son and reverence for virtue, Prahlada sought the counsel of his grandsire, the sage Kashyapa, who urged him to stand by truth alone. Thus, Prahlada declared that Angirasa was greater than himself and that Sudhanva surpassed Virochana, and by that righteous verdict he gave his son’s life as a gift to truth and yet preserved it.
You too, O King, be impartial, align yourself with righteousness, and by alliance with the Pandavas save your wayward sons. Thus, all may live without harm to any, and you shall be freed from grief. Sins committed in the pride of power become a bitter path, and when righteous rites are neglected, all merit is lost. If elders in an assembly take sides, what worth remains in that council? Those who do not speak justice are elders in name alone. Dharma without truth is hollow, and truth twisted by clever reasoning is no truth at all. O King, the path of justice is supreme. Wealth gained by stratagem is middling at best, but wealth won by deceit is base and contemptible. The good never praise unrighteousness. Your sons will ever provoke war, and Karna and the rest already tread a path of pride and error.
Know this also, the Pandavas do not display their strength without cause. They cherish patience and steadfast righteousness, yet when provoked, they are like lions roused from rest, hard to restrain thereafter. They are true sons of Pandu and bear deep devotion and reverence toward you. With pure intent, treat them as your own children. Do not think them weak or destitute. They stand firm by those who seek refuge and are swift to give aid. Divine grace abides with them. Their strength has fortified your kingdom and raised it to glory. If you deny them their rightful share, it is said there is no expiation for such an act. It is grievous to neglect those who have done good. Pandu was your devoted brother, and his sons have brought you profit and fame. Welcome them with kindness.
In this world, one may live rightly and yet fall, at times receive praise and at times blame. Pleasure and sorrow walk together, and every state of life is fleeting. Why then grieve over such passing things? Grief consumes strength, distorts the body, unsettles the mind, and invites disease. When sorrow masters you, your enemies rejoice. Therefore, restrain this grief.
The king then said, I have wounded the noble Dharmaraja with false words and untruth. My wicked sons are bound for death in war, and my sorrow will surge like a flood. Tell me, what may check this overwhelming grief? Vidura replied, O King, disciplined penance and firm control of the senses lead to peace of mind, yet beyond these, renunciation of excessive desire for wealth bestows the highest calm. When enmity with kin, seizure of cattle, contempt for Brahmins, and the oppression of women are restrained, a ruler’s greatness shines forth. Kindred who care for one another’s safety and labour for the common good bloom like a lotus-filled lake and become the very centre of prosperity. A single tree stands easily trampled by beasts, but a grove cannot be disturbed. So too, when brothers stand united, none dare challenge them. When divided, they invite the assault of foes. Thus, if Kauravas and Pandavas stand together, no enemy can conquer them, and a kingdom unburdened by hostile pressure will flourish.
Therefore, call back the Pandavas who endured the forest exile and grant them their rightful share. This is no Favor, but the means to save your sons from the noose of death. Some speak only what pleases desire, yet a few, though harsh to hear, speak truth. Knowing well that you would not heed me, I warned you against the game of dice. A sick man finds wholesome medicine tasteless. Even now I caution you. You drive away peacocks and shelter crows, you keep cats and abandon lions, placing hope in Duryodhana and his companions against Dharmaraja and his brothers. Now the heat of circumstance presses upon you and leaves you gasping. Duryodhana fosters corruption and stains the whole fabric of governance. If he were set aside, what true loss would there be? Wealth and loyal support are intertwined, and together they achieve all ends. Unite your wealth with the strength of the Pandavas, and your power will be invincible.
Consider the radiance of the Kuru house, Bhishma and Dharmaraja, the valorous Karna and Arjuna, the mighty Bhima and Duryodhana, the skilled archers Abhimanyu and Lakshmana Kumara, the teachers Drona and Drupada, who can both bless and curse, their friends and kin all bound by your command. With such unity, governance would proceed unbroken and enemies would find no refuge. Think upon this grand vision, free from fear, grief, and sorrow. For now, the Pandavas restrain their wrath, but if denied justice it will one day blaze forth with terrible force. Duryodhana lacks the fitness to rule the kingdom.
Dhritarashtra then said, ” Your words are pure, and the wise would accept them as the very code of kingship. Yet I cannot abandon my son. I shall wait and watch, trusting that virtue will prevail. Vidura replied, O Lord, even a kinsman of inferior nature should not be forsaken, but how can you abandon the Pandavas, the very treasure of virtue, who seek only your Favor. I speak as your true well-wisher. Heed my counsel. Grant them a few villages for their livelihood and persuade Duryodhana. If you fail in this, lifelong regret will be your lot. The only path now is alliance with the Pandavas. Division of the kingdom will end in war and death. All mortals perish in time through sickness, age, or the decay of the mind. Kings once robed in fine garments, armed with mighty weapons, surrounded by horses and elephants, who conquered lands and earned glory, have all passed away. We too are bound by mortality. Though bitter to relinquish worldly attachments, the grace of higher realms and peace in this world are gained only through righteousness and alliance.
