Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.12
Geneva, June 3, 1974
Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Nitai: Translation: "Thus being questioned by Maharaja Yudhisthira, Mahatma Vidura gradually described everything he had personally experienced, except the news of the annihilation of the Yadu dynasty."
Prabhupada:
ity ukto dharma-rajena
sarvam tat samavarnayat
yathanubhutam kramaso
vina yadu-kula-ksayam
Yadu-kula-ksayam. The Yadu dynasty... When Krsna was present, the family members were about ten millions. This is Krsna. Everything is wonderful. He married 16,108 wives, and each wife had ten children, and each child begot another ten children. In this way, the Yadu-kula was a very big family. So they were destroyed.
There are two comments on this point, why Yadu-kula was destroyed by Krsna's plan. One comment is that if they would continue to live, then the same misconception, that a brahmana is born in the brahmana family -- they would continue to speak that "We are also gods, because we are born of God's family, Krsna's family." Just like in India there is a class, they call themselves Nityananda-vamsa, descendants of Lord Nityananda. But that does not actually happen. And another comment is that all these members of Yadu-kula, they appeared in the Yadu-kula just to enhance the opulence of Krsna. But they came from different heavenly planets to help Krsna in His incarnation. Just like a big man, wherever he goes there are many others also go there to help him. When a king goes somewhere, the king does not go alone. He goes with his secretaries, his military commanders, and so many other companions. So these Yadu-kulas were like that. They came to help Krsna's lila, pastimes, within this material world. So some of them were born as sons of Krsna, some of them as grandson, as great-grandson, and Krsna did not want to leave them behind. Krsna was planning to go back to His Vaikuntha, Vrndavana planet. So He did not like that they should remain. They should also go back. Now, to go back means they must meet death after..., because otherwise it is unnatural. So... And who can kill them? Nobody can kill them. That is also another point. The family of Krsna, there is no power in the whole world that anybody could kill them. So Krsna planned that they should be killed amongst themselves by fighting. So another lesson is that if we fight amongst ourselves, even we belong to the family of Krsna, we are ruined. This is the instance of Yadu-kula. Although they belonged to Krsna's family directly, still, because they fought amongst themselves, they were all banished, vanquished.
So this was not a very palatable incident. So Vidura, when he was asked by Maharaja Yudhisthira about the family members of Yadu-kula, he did not describe it, because they were very thickly related as family members, so it would be a great shock to the Pandavas that Yadu-kula, descendants of the Yadu-kula, had been annihilated in such an unpalatable way. So he did not describe. Yathanubhutam kramasah. Ity ukto dharma-rajena sarvam tat samavarnayat. He described everything. Vina yadu-kula-ksayam. Vina. Vina means "without." Without the incidence, how the Yadu-kula was destroyed by fighting amongst themselves.
nanv apriyam durvisaham
nrnam svayam upasthitam
navedayat sakaruno
duhkhitan drastum aksamah
He did not describe because he did not like also to see that Pandavas would be sorry. He went back to his home after so many years, and they were receiving them, and at that time Vidura did not like to see them aggrieved on account of this incidence.
kancit kalam athavatsit
sat-krto devavat sukham
bhratur jyesthasya sreyas-krt
sarvesam sukham avahan
Vidura left his home for good. It is not that he has again come back to live with his family members. No. His only purpose was that his elder brother Dhrtarastra was rotting there. He lost everything. He lost his kingdom, lost his sons, grandsons and everything. Still, he could not give up the so-called material happiness. He was... Of course, these Pandavas, they were treating Maharaja Dhrtarastra and his wife Gandhari very gorgeously as head of the family, but he was not ashamed that he intrigued so much difficulties and plot against the Pandavas. There was big fight, Kuruksetra, in which he lost everything. Still, he was living under their care for some material comforts. So this was very shameful affair. So Vidura was very much attracted, attached to Maharaja Dhrtarastra. Therefore, bhratur jyesthasya sreyas-krt. Bhratuh means brother, and jyestha means elder. So actually, Vidura went there for the benefit of Dhrtarastra. Therefore, kancit kalam atha avatsit. He decided to live at home along with the family members for some time.
Avatsit. Sat-krto devavat sukham. He was living just like in the opulence of demigods. Because they were all nephews. Pandavas were so well-behaved, cultured devotees, and Vidura was devotee. So he was treated just like devavat, godly. That is required. Just like whenever I go anywhere, they treat me very nicely, I live very comfortably, similarly, Vidura was treated by the Pandavas to live very comfortably, devavat, just like godly standard. But he did not live there for getting some material comforts. His aim was that "This poor man, Dhrtarastra, my elder brother, he has not yet been lessoned, that what is the value of these material comforts." He was living shamelessly. So he wanted to instruct him, and thus he lived there for some time.
kancit kalam athavatsit
sat-krto devavat sukham
bhratur jyesthasya sreyas-krt
sarvesam sukham avahan
So although he especially lived in the palace for the benefit of his elder brother, still, so long he lived, it was a very pleasing time for all of them. Because he was living not as a dull or dumb man. He was speaking about Krsna. Therefore everyone was feeling very happy. (reads purport:) "Saintly persons like Vidura must be treated as well as a denizen from heaven." "As well as a denizen from heaven." Yes. If any saintly person comes at home, formerly this was the system. In our childhood we have seen. Many saintly persons used to come, and my father used to receive them very nicely, some of them. Still, the system is if you go to any Indian village and... I mean to say, those who are sannyasis, saintly person, they are received very well. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when He was touring in South India, so many brahmanas were coming to invite him. That is the system. He hasn't got to bother for his food or shelter any place. That is the system.
So Vidura, he was a saintly person. He was received by the Pandavas and treated just like denizens. (reads:) "In those days denizens of heavenly planets used to visit homes like that of Maharaja Yudhisthira, and sometimes persons like Arjuna and others used to visit higher planets." We get information. Arjuna also went to the heavenly planets, and persons from heaven, when there was big yajnas, sacrifice, they used to come and visit Indra, Candra. And sometimes person like... (reads:) "Narada is a spaceman who can travel unrestrictedly not only within the material universes but also in the spiritual universes." Wherever he wanted, he could go. He can go. He's still living. Not that... (reads:) "Even Narada used to visit the palace of Maharaja Yudhisthira, and what to speak of other celestial demigods." It is only the spiritual culture of the people concerned that makes interplanetary travel possible, even in the present body. Maharaja Yudhisthira therefore received Vidura in the manner of reception offered to the demigods. This example means demigods were visiting.
(reads:) "Mahatma Vidura had already adopted the renounced order of life, and therefore he did not return to his paternal palace to enjoy some material comforts. He accepted out of his own mercy what was offered to him by the Maharaja Yudhisthira, but the purpose of living in the palace was to deliver his too much materially attached elder brother, Dhrtarastra. Dhrtarastra lost all his state and descendants in the fight with Maharaja Yudhisthira, and still, due to his sense of helplessness, he did not feel ashamed to accept the charity and hospitality of Maharaja Yudhisthira." Suppose you create some enemy, always fought with your enemy. So if you accept his hospitality and live there, thinking that "I am living very comfortably," it is not very good sense.
(reads:) "On the part of Maharaja Yudhisthira, it was quite in order to maintain his uncle in a befitting manner, but acceptance of such magnanimous hospitality by Dhrtarastra was not at all desirable. He accepted it because he thought that there was no other alternative. Vidura particularly came to enlighten Dhrtarastra and to give him a lift to the higher status of spiritual cognition. It is the duty of the enlightened souls to deliver the fallen ones, and Vidura came to that reason. But talks of spiritual enlightenment are so refreshing that while instructing Dhrtarastra, Vidura attracted the attention of all the members of the family, and all of them took pleasure in hearing him patiently. This is the way of spiritual realization. The message should be heard attentively, and if spoken by realized soul, it will act on the dormant heart of the conditioned soul. And by continuously hearing, one can attain the perfect stage of self-realization."
Therefore sravanam is very essential. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam [SB 7.5.23]. So in all our centers, this process should be followed. We have got now so many books. Simply if we read books... Our Yogesvara Prabhu is very enthusiastic to read books. So everyone should read books and others should hear. That is very essential, sravanam. The more you hear... We have got so many books. Whatever is already published... Just like we are describing one verse daily. So at least... There are so many verses already in stock, you can go on speaking for fifty years. These books already published, you can go on. There will be no want of stock.
So this practice should be adopted. Don't waste time. As much as possible, try to hear about this transcendental subject matter, Bhagavatam. Yad vaisnavanam priyam. It is stated that "The Srimad-Bhagavatam is very, very dear to the Vaisnavas, to the devotees." In Vrndavana, you will find, they are always reading Srimad-Bhagavatam. That is their life and soul. So now we have got already six volumes, and further... How many? Eight volumes are coming? So you will have enough stock. So you should read. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh. That is the main business. That is pure devotional service. Because we cannot devote twenty-four hours in hearing and chanting; therefore we have extended our activities, program activities, in so many ways. Otherwise, Srimad-Bhagavatam is so nice, if you practice anywhere, any condition, simply by reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, you will be happy. So adopt this practice and make your spiritual life perfect more and more.
Thank you very much. (end)
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.13.12 -- Geneva, June 3, 1974
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