3. P R A J A A G A R A P A R V A

DHRITHRAASHTRA INSOMNIAIC - VIDURA TEACHES HIM

After sending Sanjaya home, Dhritharaashtra sunk into thinknig for a long while, worried about what the Paandavas might have said to Sanjaya and wondering about Sanjaya's harsh words to him. At last, he called his attendant and ordered him to send for Vidura immediately. A messenger was accordingly sent and he informed Vidura about the king's orders to see him then itself. Vidura soon came to the king's palace and sent in a word about his waiting. Dhritharashtra allowed him to be brought in saying that Vidura need never to have to wait to see him. Vidura entered the room and bowed declaring himself to the pondering king.He said to the king," King,I am Vidura present before you. Order me if I am to do anything."

Dhritharaashtra replied, " Come near, Vidura. Eversince Sanjaya's return from Paandavas I am not myself. He just blamed me for all that has happened and took leave saying that he would tell tomorrow morning in the court hall what the Paandavas said to him. Thus at present I have no knowledge of what Yudhishthira said. That makes my body and mind both uncomfortable with fears and doubts. I could't sleep a wink at all. You talk something to me to ease my mind in a suitable way. I am sure that you know how to heal a wounded mind with your learned speeches."

Vidura said, " Dear King! Sleeplesness occurs to those such as a helpless weak person attacked by a formidable foe, one in loss of one's property, a person obsessed by unfulfilled desire and a crouchicng thief. Are you afflicted by any of these disasters , or are you ambitious of others' wealth, thereby smouldering within ?."

Dhritharaashtra asked Vidura. " I wish to here from you such glorious words that are worthy and virtuous. You are the best among the learned in our clan."

Vidura said." King, You said you were worrried about what Yudhishthira's words to Sanjaya could be. Yudhishthira is well known for his virtue-boundedness amd purity of behaviour and character. He is full of kingly qualities. Eligible even to rule the three worlds together. You, of course, are wise and learned enogh but are unacceptable to kingship due to your blindness. You resorted to send away on exile such Yudhishthira who in fact was to be clung by you. Due to his mercy and uncruelty alone, he has been tolerating all your harassments to him. After having incurring wrath of such a gentle person, how can you be calm and peaceful? Vesting the authority in Duryodhana, Dushshaasana, Shakuni and Karna who exceed one another in foolishness,how can you hope for safe wealth and prosperity? A wise man should not at all bring on himself a situation like this. Who is, then, a wise man? Wise is a person said to be, if his scholarliness, perseverance, patience and virtuefulness always keep him within the course of right means. He undertakes only those prescribed acts but not others. He believes in god and virtue (dharma). And he is never diverted from the path of right means by anger,pleasure,arrogance,shamelessness and egotism. A wise man's thoughts and plans are never revealed to others in advance, only his actions are known after they are done. Minor impediments like chill, heat,fear,wants,ampleness or scantiness cannot hinder his assignments. He can control the wavering talents to stick to the path of virtue and benefits, prefering benefits to pleasures. Wise men plan to do anything only within their abilities, strain themselves only within their abilities and never disregard anything as unreckonable. He quickly grasps the things, yet thinks about them very long. He chooses the benefits(artha) not for the sake of pleasures (kaama) but only due to their merits. He helps others even when not asked for but doesn't meddle with others' affairs unless he was properly asked to. This is the most importaint quality of a wise man. He never runs after an undesirable interest, nor does he lose his heart for the lost causes,nor is he affected by adversities. A wise man always attempts at only certainly reachable objects. He never drops his efforts in the middle without reaching his goal, all the while keeping his mind under his own control. He does only commendable deeds and shows interest in acts that lead only to good. He never dislikes beneficial advice or advisors. He is not delighted by honours or dejected by insults but remains undisturbed like the deep waters of Ganga. He knows the nature of all the beings and he is wellversed with the ways of accomplishing all deeds. Such a man of wits is said to be wise. He knows all the current and past news. He can expound on any subject extempory and can stretch his imagination to the required levels. His knowledge and thoughts are under mutual control of each other. He never breaks the established moral practices. He remains humble even after attaining wealth, knowledge or great benefits."

Vidura continued ." King, While a wise man is thus distinguished with these qualities, a fool is conspicuously otherwise. A fool is proud though unlearned. He is lured for the things beyond his means and abilities. He wishes to get results without his own suitable efforts. He ignores his own reasonable interests but unduly strives for others' interests. He spoils the works of even his friends. He repels those people who like him and tries to stick to the unwanted ones. He incurs the enemity with the stronger. He makes friends with the hostile people and hates and trobles his wellwishers. He procrastinates the things and falls into dilemma everywhere. He becomes slow at the need of haste. He doesn'toffer propitiations to his bygone ancestors, nor does he worship the gods. He fails to gain dependable friends. He goes uncalled for, speaks more than necessary even when unasked, trusts in undependable fellows, finds faults with others while he himself is loaded with many, and gets angry with others even when incapable. a fool wishes to achieve the things barred from virtue, unmindful of his means and moreover with no efforts of his own. He tries to control the uncontrollable. He engages himself in becoming close to the women of other men. He embraces the covetious ones. Such is a fool described by the moralists."

Vidura continued. " King! If a man, though wealthy enough, prefers to enjoy all alone, not desirous of sharing with the eligible people, is there one crueler than him? Due to folly of one, all will suffer but the sin of the act sticks only to the doer while the suffered are not stained with that. A bowmen's arrow as may kill one person as not, but a clever man's mind accounts for the hostile king and his kingdom." Vidura thus alluded to Dhritharaashtra's unfairness towards Paandavas and continued his moral and philosophical speech every now and then referring to Kouravas' viles and Paandavas' fairness. He resumed from the point of the last sentence, the mind.

" With the one (the mind) you decide the two ( doable and undoable; or temporal and permanent),control the three(friend, enemy and neutral; or desire,anger and greed) with the four (conciliation,differences,truce and attack;or control,forbearance,detachment and dedication), defeat the five (the sensories-eye,ear,tounge,nose and skin i.e. not falling for those things which are enjoyed by these five sensory organs),understand the six (truce,hostility,marching,neutrality, dualism and appealing; or hunger,thirst,grief,illusion,oldage and death) and win the seven (the seven vices viz.woman,drink,gambling,hunting,coarse tounge,harsh punishment and extravagance; or the five sensories,mind and thought) to attain eternal happiness."

Vidura continued his talk to Dhritharaashtra with a mix of moral and philosophical doctrines. " Poison can kill one, knife too can kill one but a leaked out strategy will cost the king and his land as well. One should not alone enjoy delicious foods, alone should not decide things,alone should not travel, alone should not keep awake where all others are asleep. King, you cannot see that The only way to heaven is truth, just like a ship is to cross the seas. The only demerit of the tolerant is that people mistake him to be incompetent. Yet, he is not to blame for that since the incompetent too tolearate as it is their nature, but the tolerance of the able is like an ornament to them. In fact, tolerance subdues everybody. Nothing is impossible to it. If one bears the sword of tolerance, what can the evil people do to him? Fire falling in a place of no dry grass puts itself out. But an intolerant person immolates himself with his own follies.Virtue is the best of benefits. Tolerance is the best peace. Knowledge is the best satisfaction. And harmlessness is the best benefactor."

" The worst persons on the entire face of the earth are only two; a monk attached to deeds and a householder abondoning them. Two people namelessly dissolve into the earth like the beings in an ant-hill eaten out by its occupant snake; a braahmana that doesn't renounce and a king that doesn't stand against his foes. A person is honoured by doing two deeds; not speaking harsh words and not inclining towards bad fellows. Two people in the world are lead by others' beliefs; women desiring one already desired by other women and people worshipping whomever the others worship. There are two prickles that dry out both the body and the mind; desires of a poor man and anger of an incapacitated man. Two people are first eligible to reach beyond the heaven; an able one with forgiveness and a poor man with generous mind. There are two ways of harm for a justly earned wealth; one, utilising for unvirtuous deeds and the other, not utilising for virtuous deeds. Two people are to be thrown in the sea with a rock tied to their neck; one, a wealthy but ungenerous man, and the other, poor but impious. Two persons make their way through the Sun to the Ultimate; one, a sage of unswerved practice of yoga and the other, a fearless warrior killed in the war."

"King, Eminent scholars defined a man's means as of three categories, good, average and bad, as they also categorised men themselves into the same three. And a man of laudible policy should employ the good,average and bad people for the good,average and bad means respectively. There are three people in the world who own nothing;a wife,a servant and a son, as whatever they possess should belong to the husband, the master and the father. There are three self destructive ways to the hell; desire, anger and greed, hence this trio should be subdued. There are three approachers that are never to be abandoned even in troubles; a devoted follower, a dependable associate and a true surrenderor. There are three most wanted achievements; endowing something to the eligible one, ruling a land and begetting a son. But all the three put together too cannot exceed the deed of extricating an enemy from his trouble."

A king with power should debar the four from participating in strategy planning; a half-knowledged man, a procarstinator, a pompous man and a non-fighting man. These four people should live with a prosperous household; an elderly kinsman, a ruined noble, an impoverished friend and childless widowed sister. King, I will tell you the four things that give fruit instantly, as Brihaspathi taught to Indra, intention of the gods, the greatness f the great, obedience of the learned and sins of the evil doers(destruction of them). There are four things that bring damage unless done with respect and devotion to them; Worship of Fire God,Silent penance, study of (vedas)scriptures and sacrificial rites."

" One should worship the five ( as godly as the fire)fires with devotion;father, mother,Fire,preceptor and one's own self. One gains honour in the world by worshippibg or honouring five people; Gods,ancestors,all humans,mendicants and guests. These five will always be with you whereever you are,King; friends, foes,neutrals,dependents and patrons. Even if one among the five of the human's sensories fails from its right path, his learning and intelligance depletes like the water leaking out from a damaged can."

"A prospering person should free himself from these six malignities; excessive sleep,timidness,laxity,anger,sluggishness and procrastination. There are six people whom we should leave like a damaged ship in the sea; a non-teaching preceptor, a non-reciting participant(rithvil) of the sacrifices, a non-protective king, a disagreeable wife, a cow-keeper hanging around the village and a barber moving away from the village. These six qualities are never to be foregone by a man; Truthfulness,generousity,swiftness in action,non-enviousness,forgiveness and courage. There are six means of pleasure to the people in this world; sufficient income,good health,an amiable wife, a beloved wife too, an obedient son and a learning that turns lucrative."

Vidura continued. "If the six internal enemies resident in the mind of a person are subdued by virtue of mastery over the five senses,such a person is never afflicted by sins, what to talk of wordly troubles? There are six people living on six people,no seventh is known; the thives on the careless,the doctors on the ill,the women on the concupiscent, the ritual conductors on the performers, the rulers on the disputacious and the scholars on the unlearned. These six things need constant care, lest they should fade off due to non-supervision even for a small interval; kine,job,agriculture,wife,learning and friendship with the less learned. These six always deride the other six; The students after their education deride their teacher, married sons do their mothers, men of satisfied desire do the women, the beneficiaries do the benefactors, those who crossed the waters do the ship and the recovered patients do their doctors. There are six pleasing things to a person; health, unindebtedness, not having to live away from home, coherence with good intellectuals, an independant livelihood and a fear-free habitation. People of these six kinds are always sad; the jealous,the mean,the uncontented, the irate,the everhesitant and one who subsists on others."

" These seven, the roots of all evils should be avoided by even a well established king,lest these should destroy him; women,gambling,hunting,wine,harsh speech,disproportionately harsh punishments and misutilisation of resources (extravagance)."

"There are eight omens that portend the downfall of a man; he hates the braahmana s learnt in vedas, he opposes them, he grabs at their property, he wishes to harm them,he enjoys their balme,he disapproves their praises, he ignores them at the needy hour and he is irritated at their requests. A wise man should be aware of these and should avoid. These eight are the essence of happiness and are also transiently pleasing; meeting with the beloved, devolution of a great wealth, the embrace of a son, involving in coition, reception of fond words at the moment of need,an elevation among colleagues, attainment of the desired goal and a public honour. These eight qualities highlight a person; talent, cast, fortitude,knowledge,valour,laconic speech,generousity and greatfulness."

" This human body is like a house, of nine doors (eyes,ears,tongue,nose,skin,mind,thought,ego and physical body),of three columns( desire, deed and ignorance),of five onlookers(sound,touch,form,taste and smell) and occupied by the soul(aathma). He who is aware of this secret is the best of the learned."

"King Dhritharaashtra, I tellyou, listen, these ten people cannot know virtue(dharma);arrogant,reckless,insane,depleted,irate,hungry,hasty,greedy,frightened and lustful. Hence these ten classes of people should be kept at an arm's distance."

In this context, there is often quoted an ancient episode related by the demon chief Prahlaada to his son alongwith Sudhanva. ' Such a king is the standard authority to the world, who subdues his anger and desire, who spends for the eligible purposes, who knows the merits and demerits of others,who is learned and who is swift in actions. He possesses wealth, who is able to inculcate confidence in people, who punishes the erring, who knows the levels of punishments and who knows forgiveness too. A steady person will never insult a weak element, will never rise against his enemies until the time favours him, will never choose to fight the stronger foes and never hesitates to attack in time. Victory chooses such an able person, who is not sad in troubles, who always finds a way out and who bears the adversities until the time ripes. A person is always safe and happy if he avoids purposeless leaving of his homestead, friendship with evil elements, attachment to others' wives, arrogant behaviour, hypocrisy, earbiting and wine. A person is praised everywhere, if he doesn't try with mala fide intentions for the three- virtue,benefit and desire; if he tells only truth when asked as a mediator, if he avoids quarrels with his dear ones, if he wisely doesn't get annoyed just by not being honoured by others, if he doesn't vie with others unnecessarily, if he doesn't find fault with others, if he doesn't incur enemity with stronger enemies when he himself is weak, if he doesn't speak more than required and if he keeps his nerve while engaged in arguments. The world likes him, who has a suitable humble attire, who doesn't boast of himself and who doesn't lose his toungue at others uncontrollably. The learned prescribed a gentle man as one who doesn't renew the subsided rivalry, who doesn,t pose himself off, who doesn't lose heart , who doesn't condescend to unworthy deeds due to adversities, who is not delighted at his own pleasures, who is not delighted at others' hardships either and who doesn't repent about the things donated earlier by him. A person enjoys people's love wherever he goes and can rule the public too, if he is sensible enough to understand the various customs,languages and practices of various people. A learned man should avoid pomp,fancy,jealousy,sinful deeds, enemity with the king,slandering,long feud and quarrels with the proud and the mad. The gods make such a man prosper who observes devotedly in his routine, alms,oblations, worship of the gods, all the auspicious deeds, penitences in the prescribed manner and all the customs esatblished by practice of the ancestors. A man of meritorious policies always engages himself with his equals but not inferiors in marriages,friendships,discussions and transactions.He consults with the learned men with nice qualities and as such his policies never fail. Magnanimous is he, who divides among his fellows whatever he has, enjoys the minimum for himself,works a lot but sleeps a little and gives even to the enemies if requested for. He who can keep his thoughts, plans and actions - that are in his favour and in his enemy's detriment - secret from others, whose strategies are well kept private and rightly implemented, not even a minute interest of such a man will never become lost. He who is interested in the welfare of everybody, who is truthful,who is amiable, who is idealistic, who is pious, is adored among his entire clan like a natural gem of great value. He who is ashamed of his own errors even known to himelf alone, will be a leader of all the people and he shines among them like the sun in the sky with his great splendour.' "

Thus did Prahlaada taught to his son, O King. You know that Paandavas were born in the far off forests and lost their father at a very young age. You yourself took care of their brought-up and education. All the five Paandavas as great as Indra are all the while obedient to you. If you give them their due share of the kingdom and live happily with your sons and them all, you will be lauded by mortals and divines alike."

Dhritharaashtra heard all that long speech of Vidura who every now and then alluded to the follies of Dhritharaashtra and his sons as well as virtueousness of Yudhishthira. He only said, " Vidura, you are an expert judge of all the things. Please go on telling me what you deem fit for me to do.I am being burnt with this sleeplessness. All my past follies portend me only some unpleasant occurance to come. You tell me as much as you can which can be of good to us and to Yudhishthira. Also tell me to comfort me, what the thoughts of Yudhishthira could be too."

Vidura told him . " Whether appealing to the listener's mind or not, whether pleasing or not, a welwisher is bound to advise his dear people always. On that principle, I wish to tell you which can be beneficial to both your sons and Paandavas. Listen, King. Never should you resort to actions of crooked intentions deviced with malice, though they may fetch you favourable results. Similarly, if a well employed policy with acceptability fails , then too you need not worry and need not change your course. Whenever a work is undertaken, its consequences should be thoroughly estimated. Decision and implementation should follow fullest deliberations, but should not be done in haste. A wise man should first study the consequences, the results fetched and the probable benefit to himself if any, before taking up a work or not taking up. Only such king who knows the desirable standards of station,defence,developments,loss,treasuries,law and the forces can enjoy the kingship admirably. He should always be aware of virtue and interests. One shouldn't behave unfittingly just because of acquiring kingdom. Misbehaviour is so destructive to wealth as oldage is to beauty. A prospective person should go for what is capable to him and what is manageable too to him later, just like eating so much as eatable and digestable too. Lest, he should destroy himself like a fish getting hooked in its ambition of eating the bait. The timliness is of utmost importance in actions. Premature implementation destroys the results. If a fruit is plucked when it is ripe, we enjoy the fruit's taste and its seeds will give us again fruits in future. If an unripe fruit is picked, the fruit itself is lost and the seeds too become useless. Similarly, extracting benefits from the people should be like a honey bee's artful collection of nectar from each flower,damaging none of them. The collection of benefits for oneself should be like a garland maker's collecting flowers from every plant,with no damage to the plant at all, but it shouldn't be like total destruction of them as is done by a coal maker."

Before undertaking any work, one should look for answer to the question, ' what if I do this or otherwise?'. Than only things could be done or left off. One shouldn't go for a futile task at all, as all the efforts put for it are a sheer waste and if employed elsewhere, might have given useful results. Such a king whose grace brings no benefit and anger brings no fear,is rejected by people as a eunuch is rejected by women to be their husband. A wise man never eats away time in going for such things which can be attained with minimum efforts and will yield huge benefits. People love such king who just looks at everybody as if taking them away with affection though he does no more benefit to them. A true king should be like a tree that is fully blosmed but doesn't show any fruit, that is full of fruits but unclimbable, that is not ripe but looks ripe. The world loves him who pleases it in four ways, by look, by thought, by speech and by deed. A person whom the world dreads like the beasts dread a hunter, will lose his entire things even though he rules the whole earth. If a king becomes prone to wrong policies, he will lose his power just as a cloud fades away hit by winds, though he ascended to a throne that was established from his forefathers' times. A king's wealth and power improve only as long as he follows the virtuous course walked by the learned ancestors. Or, if he chooses to leave virtue, his lands shrink as a skin thrown in the flames. A king should be as much careful in protecting his own state as in looking for a chance to destroy his enemy's. One should attain the kingdom through virtuous means and one should rule it too only through virtuous means. Such a wealth obtained through virtue will never whither away."

"We should adopt the useful essence even from the blabberings of a child or the mad just like we extract gold from the earth. A true learner should pick up every bit of good sayings from all, just like the ascetic ( who lives on shila oe fallen ears of grain) collects the fallen ears of grain.

"Normal people see with their eyes, cattle see with the smell of their scent, braahmana s see with the help of vedas whereas the kings see the things with the help of their spies."

" An unmilking cow is subjected to many troublesome treatments but a smoothly milking cow is free from all that. No one tries to bend an already bent object but an unbent one is forcebly bent even by melting if needded. With this example, a weak one should be submissive to a stronger one. His humility shown to the stronger is the humilty shown to Indra himself."

Cattle are dependents of rains, kings are dependents of their counsels,women are dependents of their husbands and braahmana s are dependents of the vedas.Virtue is protected by truthfulness,talent is protected by practice, beauty is protected by nourishment through anointments and cast or nobility is protected by character and behaviour. Proper measurement saves grain , good training saves horses , continious care saves kine and less attractive attire saves a woman. A mean charactered man's high cast is of no value. Even of the lower births, character is waht matters. Such a man suffers from an un treatable desease, who is jealous of others' knowledge,beauty,valour,birth,luck,pleasures and honours. One should not yield to such qualities which make him do unworthy acts, make him not do worthy acts and make him leak the planned starategies before their implementation. Wealth, knowledge and caste add pride to the bad, whereas these very things add humility to the gentle class. At times, even good people might request the bad ones for some help. Eventhough nothing is done to them, the bad ones make a boast of themselves out of it that they are great, despite their firmly being branded as bad in the world already. The good people are the saviours of the self esteemed. The good people are the saviours of the good people. The good people are the saviours of the bad people too. But never are the bad people the saviours of the good people. A well dressed person wins over the spectators, a man of riches wins over his desire of foods , a man with a carriage wins over the journey and a man of character wins over everything. Character is the essence of anybody. If that vital element is lost, what is the use of his life, wealth and following?"

" The wealthy people feed themselves with foods of meat, the average people eat foods with milk and ghee whereas the poor people eat food with oils. But the poor always take tasty food, since hunger creates tastefulness which case is improbable for the rich.Usually the wealthy people are unable to eat much but the poor are able to digest even wood."

" The least class of people are afraid of their livelihood, the middle class are afraid of death but the best class os people are afraid of insult ( caused by self or others). Of all the prides , the pride of wealth and power is the worst. Its possesser doesn't come to his senses until complete destruction is done. The world is troubled by the senses which uncontrolably hover around their pleasures,like the stars are done by the powerful shiners as the Sun. For a man subdued by his pleasure-mongering senses, his troubles go on increasing like a moon in the bright half of the month. One should understand that one's mind is the one's first enemy. It should be tamed first. Then only he can control others and later can win over his other enemies. If this sequence is not followed, his efforts leave him unsuccessful. Wealth never whithers away from such stable ruler, who has his senses under his control, who fittingly punishes the erring and who weighs the pros and cons before undertaking any work."

" King, This body is like a carriage. The mind is the driver. The senses are its horses. With these tamed horses under the control of the shrewd driver, a composed man travels pleasantly in the path of the world. Unless tamed properly and driven correctly, these horses are able to kill their ineficient driver in the wrong path. A man who is not a master of his own senses, behaves as driven by them and sees a benefit as a detriment, sees a detriment as a benefit and understands a trouble to be a pleasure. One who deviates from virtue and prosperity in persuit of pleasing his senses, will soon lose his power, wealth, family and life . On the other hand, if one takes care of these two, these two will give him victory, pleasure and everything. A person , though a master of wealth, if remins a slave to his senses, such slavery drives him out of his wealth. In essence, a shrewd mind is all to a man, if controled well, it is a friend and if not controlled, it is a foe. Mind is a friend and foe of itself. Just like two large fish contained in a net of small eyes can break through it, the two formidable traits, desire and anger can escape from the control of realisation through its minor flaws. If a person is unable to tame his five internal enemies( five senses ) first, and yet tries to win the external enemies, he will only be inflicted with a thourough defeat. Didn't we here of many great rulers who lost control of their senses and landed in trobules? He who cannot tame his five internal foes of five different interests, will be soon in danger."

" Sticking to the evil people will entail incurrence of equal punishment as to those,like a wet object lying among dry ones is burnt alongwith them. Hence to avoid bad company always."

A mean man cannot possess such traits as goodwill,truthfulness,piety,contentment,pleasing speech,self-control, plain mind and mental stability. Qualities like self realisation, stabilty, dexterity, endurance, virtuefulness, standing by the word and alms without pomp, cannot be seen in mean people."

" Harsh speech and blaming others are two bad characteristics with which the wicked trouble the noble. But the troubler incurs sin and the troubled gets ennobled."

"violence is the strength of the evil, lawful punishment is the strength of kings, service (to husband) is strength of women and forgiveness is strength of the great. Speech control is a difficult thing to attain. It is not possile to speak a lot , yet true,pleasing,meaningful and fitting. Speech properly employed brings good but used improperly, brings detriment. Even a wound by an arrow may be healed, a garden chopped by axes too may be revived; but disturbance caused by speech cannot be repaired to normalcy. Various dangerous arrows pierced into the body can be pulled out with knack, but a harsh word piercing into the heart can never be uprooted. Some people discharge from their toungue arrows of sharp speech which hit others on sensitive spots and make them suffer day and night. A learned man should never do that to others."

The gods curse the thoughts of the one whom they won't bless and his mind goes only after unworthy deeds. When the mind becomes corrupt due to nearing misfortunes, an unworthy thing appears as a worthy thing and it fast sticks to the mind permanently. Similarly, O King, your mind and your son's mind became corrupt from the approaching destruction. Hence you choose to keep enemity with the Paandavas. Yudhishthira is a man of all the kingly qualities. He knows virtue and practises it too. He has borne many of your unjust impositions on him due to his respect to you and due to his own magnanimity. He has been a coronated prince and thus is more fitter to the throne. Further, he is valorous and intelligent too. Still more, he is still within your control, though able enough to rule the three worlds. May such Yudhishthira become the king and may all of your clan be safe and happy for ever."

"Dhritharaashtra did not speak his assent or dissent to Vidura's advice but only said," Vidura, please go on telling me something. I am desirous of hearing some more from you."

Vidura continued.

"Having ablutions in all the wholy waters and sincere equitability to all the beings , both are equal or the latter may be greater than the former. You King, show equitability towards all your sons and Paandavas. That gives you fame in this world as long as you live and high status in the next world too. It is said that one can enjoy in the heaven as long as his fame is talked about in this world. In this context, the elders quote this episode of the demon chief Virochana (Prahlaada's son),Sudhanva and Keshini."

" Once a very beautiful young lady named Keshini was in the process of her svayamvaram (own selection of her husband), wishing to select a nice husband. Virochna, a demon approached there to marry her. She asked him, "Are the braahmana s superior or the Demons? Why can't Sudhanva be my husband? " Virochana answered, " We descend from Brahma and Prajaapathi. Who are braahmana s and gods before us? " Keshini said, " Let us await Sudhanva who comes here tomorrow morning. I will talk to both of you." Virochana agreed and waited till his arrival the next morning. As was told by Keshini, Sudhanva came in the morning to the place where Keshini and Virochana were sitting. Keshini rose from her seat, offered him water to wash his feet and honoured him duly. Then Sudhnva said to Virochana, " I will not accept to occupy the same chair with you. In stead, I only touch your seat." Virochana answered, " Yes. You are eligbile for a stool or bench or grass mat. How can you afford to have the same chair with me? "

Sudhanva said, " A father and his son may share the same seat. Two braahmana s or two kshathriya s or two vyshya s or two shoodra s too can share the same chair. But never can any two of mixed among them share the same seat. Your father himself obeys me by sitting on the floor when I am in a chair. You, fondled and pampered son of a chief, don't yet fully know the customs." Virochana challenged Sudhanva, " Sudhanva! I bet any of our demons' belongings, cows or gold or others. Let us put our question to any learned ones and see whom of us they will decide superior." Sudhanva replied, " Keep your cows and gold with yourself. Let us stake our lives on this."

Virochana said, " I am ready. Where shall we go? I never come to mortals or gods." Sudhanva said, " Why to others? With our deadly bet, we shall go to your father Prahlaada himself, who never speaks other than truth even for his son's sake."

Thus deciding, they both angrily went to Prahlaada. He asked them," What brought you both here? You two never before moved around togrther. Have you made friends with each other? But I see you both angry."

Sudhanva said, " No. No friendship with him is made. We came here to you over a dispute for correct judgement, staking our lives on it." Prahllada replied, " Sudhanva, will you please accept the honey and clothes offered by me? You are honourable to us, great braahmana ! Here is a stout white cow made ready for you as offer."

Sudhanva replied. " All that you offer me is as good as given to me . I ask you a question. Please answer truly. Are the braahmana s superior or this Virochana?". Prahlaada said to Sudhanva," You are here verily a great braahmana yourself. And Sudhanva is my only son. How can a person like me judge a case like this? " Sudhanva said, " Prahlaada, Out of your affection to your son, you may concede him a cow or gold or any other things. But when it comes to the question of justice, you should only be true and honest to the virtue."

Prahlaada asked him, " Sudhanva! Suppose an arbitrator speaks nothing, either justice or otherwise. Or suppose he speaks dishonestly. What happens to such a false speaker?" . Sudhanva answered. "A false judge , O Demon king, will suffer such a night as does a smouldering woman when she got a rival wife, as does a losing gambler or as person who carried heavy weights all the day. A dishonest witness or judge feels a hell of a suffering as such a person who was hindered before the village gates at the end of a long tedious journey, with hostile people all around. Also, it was said that a person lying in case of an animal would throw his five ancestor generations into hell, ten generations if lied for a cow, hundred generations if lied for a horse and a full thousand geerations if lied for decieving or harming a man. A person lying for gold will throw from heaven all his past and future clans-men . And a fellow lying for land will destroy the entire lineage. hence never lie in case of land."

Prahlaada said to them, " Son! Sudhanva's father Angiras is superior to me, so is his mother to yours and so is he to you. you lost to him and now This Sudhanva is master of your life. Sudhanva! I pray you for my son's life."

Sudhanva replied, " Prahlaada, You stuck to truth and virtue even at the cost of your son. You didn't tempt to lie for your son's cause. As such, I allow your son back to you, who, I know, is difficult to get. Now, as I free him, he should wash my feet before this girl." And a realised Virochana did so and relinquished his claim on Keshini in Sudhanva's favour.

Vidura continued to Dhritharaashtra. " o King! Hence, you too take care not to go dishonest for the sake of land, which course will destroy all your clan. May that not happen to you. The gods do not watch abd guard us like the kine. In stead, they simply endow them with fair thoughts, whom they wish to grace with prosperity. The more a man keeps his thoughts pious, the more he prospers. It is to be known that even the vedas cannot save a man from his sins. At an appropriate bad moment suitable for his destruction, even the vedas too disown a sinful man, like the grown-up chicks leave the nest. Wise men say that one should not resort to excessive drinking of wine, quarrelling with everybody, maintaining long feud, seeding differences between a wife and husband, causing enemity among kinsmen, harming the king, culturing disputes among men and women and willfully following a bad track. Also, we should not depend on the witness of a physiognomist, untrue merchant, a former thief, an omen teller, a therapist, an enemy, a friend and a man of impefect character, as these are not considered as dependable in case of judging the disputes."

" Worship of the fire god, penance of silence, study of the vedas and performance of sacrifices, these four give good results if done sincerely, but bring harm if done improperly."

" The code of conduct ordains that all these are as cruelly sinful as slayer of a braahmana - a house-burner, a poisoner,a follower of an adulterine, a Soma ( juice of the now extinct 'Soma' herb used in sacrifices) seller, a weapon maker, an ear biter, a betrayor of friends, an adulterer, an abortionist (foetus killer), a molester of one's preceptor's wife, a drunkard braahmana , a ferrocious minded one, a tortutrer, an atheist, a disdainer of vedas, a corruptionist, a non-vydic braahmana , a cruel-hearted fellow and one capable yet disowner of the refugee."

" Quality of gold is known from its melting, one's virtues are known from one's character, gentleness is known from the way of dealing with others, heroism is known from fearsome situations, courage is known from penury and one's friends and foes are known from one's disasterous days."

"Old age kills beauty; greed kills courage; death kills life; jealousy kills conduct; anger kills proeperity; bad company kills character; lust kills modesty and egotism kills everything. Prosperity comes from sacred deeds, nourishes from our skills, stabilises from our abilities and remains forever from our humility."

" A person shines from these eight qualities - talent, birth ( in a high caste ),self-control, education, valour, being conservative in speech, generousity to one's level and greatfulness. But all these high qualities are exceeded by a sigle thing, 'the regal favour' . Because we see a person favored by a king shines above all, howsoever unreckonable he is before them."

" There are eight things that can create heaven on earth. Of these, four are seen in noble persons and the other four are attained by the noble with efforts. Scrificial performances, alms-giving, recital of vedas and penance are the four that are seen in noble persons whereas the noble people attain with devotion these four - self-contrl, truthfulness, honesty and mercifulness . The path of virtue is of eight types, sacrifice, recital, alms,penance, truth,forgiveness, pity and greedlessness. Of these eight, the first four can be seen practised even due to self-conceit. But the other four cannot be seen in mean class."

" Such an assembly is not a true assembly if there are no learned ones in it. Such learned are not the true learned if they won't speak justice. Such a Justice is not a true justice if there is no truth in it. Such a truth is not a truth if it is influenced by vile."

" Truth, humility,knowledge, studies, high birth, character, strength, wealth,valour and gentle speech are eight ways to heaven. Then, most of these are attainable only from comany of the noble people, hence that is to be sought for. A sinner becomes notorious as sinful and receives only tragic results of his deeds, whereas a noble one does good deeds, becomes known as good in the world and derives only enjoyable results from his deeds. Hence, a true man shall never commit sinful deeds as repeatedly done sins kill away noble thoughts and that leads only to sins again. On the other hand, holy deeds of piety bring fame in the world as a pious man and he enjoys fine results. Hence, piety is to be attained with devotion and without negligence. A man of jealousy, a torturer of others, a sharp-toungued person, a feud-seeder and a deceiver always do sins and soon incur troubles. But, on the other hand, a person of fair-heart and noble thoughts always go for holy deeds alone and never lands into such troubles. Besides he is honoured everywhere. He who ennobles his thoughts and mind from the company of the pious is a true scholar. For it is noble thoughts that bring virtue and benefits thereby paving way to welfare. "

" We should arrange for the night during the daytime itself; should arrange for the four rainy months during the remaining eight months; should arrange for old age during days of youth itself and should try lifelong to take care of our life in the next world."

" A food well and safely digested is commendable. A wife is praiseworthy if she crosses her youth without any blemish on character; a hero is exulted only if he comes victorious from a war and an ascetic is honoured only after he reaches the goal of his penance."

" A protection posed with unjustly attained wealth is not a protection at all, it destroys the earlier wealth too. A preceptor governs the self-restraint, the king governs the wicked but only Lord Yama governs a covert sinner. One should not go looking into the roots of sages, rivers, births of great people and a woman's follies. A kshathriya can rule for long years if he is committed to the worship of braahmana s, if he is honest to his kinsmen and if he is of sound character. O King ! Three people can reap golden flowers from the world, a valorous hero, a learned scholar and a person who knows how to serve others. One's deeds are of three types. The best ones are done with the aid of good thoughts. The moderate ones are attained with strength. The worst ones, that cause troble too sooner or later , are attained with vile and ruge ."

Thus Vidura every now and then taunted Dhriharaashtra and his sons in his speech and now makes a clear mention of his meaning.

King! How can you be sure of your welfare, leaving the authority to the arrogant and ignorant Duryodhana, Dushshaasana, Karna and Shakuni ? There, the Paandavas are known for their good qualities. They treat you as their father and you are to treat them as your sons."

Vidura continued. " We often hear our teachers quote this episode of Aathreya's conversation with the Saadhyas.

Once Daththaathreya was wandering in the form of an ascetic (some say 'swan') when the Saadhyaa group of gods approached him and asked him reverently and obediently. " O great sage! We are the Saadhyas. we bow to you. Our poor minds couldn't see your right self through your outwardly appearance. We pray you to talk to us about the right things. We know that you are strong in studies, learning and practice."

Daththaathreya replied to them. " Dear gods! Let me tell you what I heard from my teachers. The things worthy to be done are - inculcation of restrain, control of senses, devotion to virue and truth , undoing the knot of (ignorance of ) the heart and thereby attaining the state of accepting the desirable and undesirable too as euqal to one's own self . When scolded by others, no need of counter scolding them. The tolerance shown itself will take care of the offenders. And all the amounted virtues of the scolders will devolve upon the bearer of their slandering. One should not reproach others for no reason, should not despise others, should not betray one's friends, should not mingle with the crooked, should not be conceited, should not resort to unworthy conduct and should not possess rude and sharp tounge. Harsh speech hurts not only the heart of others but it aims at their life too. Hence a true virtuous man should avoid that. A person of unpleasant speech that torments others with his cruel tounge is like a man who stations the death in his mouth. Such a person is the worst of the worst and should be avoided at any cost. Even though others throw heart-burning words or piercing shots at him , a wise tolerant man never feels hurt, but in stead he only feels that the ofenders are enriching his own virtues. Just like a fabric getting coated with the dye it is dipped in, a person too gets into the fold of whomever he attaches himself to, may be to a good man or a bad one, may be to a noble or a cheat. We should not talk too much, should not make others talk too much, should not charge at others unless first charged at by others. Moreover, if any one is so cool and composed that he doesn't even retaliate to others' attacks, verbal or physical, and doesn't evevn wish or intend harm to them, such a person is avidly awaited by the gods themselves."

"They say that silence is better than speech; secondly, a true speech is still better; thirdly, a true and appealing speech is still more better; fourthly, a true and appealing speech bound by virtue is further better."

" It is common that a person becomes like whom he moves around with,like whom he follows and like whom he wish to become. Hence a noble association is always prefered. The simple principle is that whatever we are able to shed off, we are relieved of its fancy. Such a shedding of desires destroys grief. A person attains happiness from such a composition which enables him not to mind a win or a loss, not to bear grudge or vengeance, not to be affected by praise or blame, or not to yield to pleasure or sorrow."

" Among the men, the best are those who wish good to all, don't think ill of others, always speak truth, are gentle with others and are self-restraint. The average class are those who keep their word, who are well aware of others' flaws and don't try hard for the useless ends. And the worst category are such , who won't relax their stubborn adherence to anger even after being beaten again and again, won't be greatful, won't be friends to any, won't be amiable to others, won't care for their elderly counsels, won't be self-confident yet and won't concur with their well-wishers. A man should always associate himself only with the best men; may do so with the average class when forced by the circumstances; but should never go with the worst class if he wishes his own good. One may get wealth through the aid of bad people and may even be able to make it manifold through one's abilities, intelligence and efforts; but it is impossible to attain the practices of the noble sect."

" This was what the sage Daththaathreya told briefly to Saadhyas." Vidura concluded. Listening all this, Dhritharaashtra questioned, " Vidura! Even the virtuous and learned gods too incline to the noble sect. Tell me Vidyra, what sort , after all, are of the noble sect ?"

Vidura replied. " Listen, King! The noble class are those in whom these seven pious qualities are conspicuous and stationary. Penance, forbearance, knowledge ( of the vedas), sacrifices, prescribed marriages, perpetual alms of food to the needy and impeccable character. Those people have firm conduct, their ancestors are proud of their descendency,they adhere to virtue with pure mind, they aim at a high honour among their clan and they never leave the path of truth. In contrary, the other class of people degrade their class and clan with their unworthy acts, namely, non-performance of sacrifices, unseemly marriages, non-recital of the vedas and overstepping of the path of virtue. Any class becomes fameless and gets faded away, by their embezzling with the properties of temples, swindling moneies of braahmanas, insulting the braahmana s, hurting the braahmana s and stealing the pedged things by breaching of trust. Even though rich in persons,properties,kine and wealth, a class as a whole loses its identity once its character sinks down. On the other hand, a class even poor in strength and wealth will enjoy its significant place and fame, if sound in character. Of wealth and character, character is to be protected by all means, for wealth may come and go and those without it are not lost. But those without profound character are lost forever. Such a deserted class cannot revive even by accumulation of kine,horses,lands and even scholarly people."

" May our clan not have one who promotes enemity amongst us , one who being a ruler grabs at others' property,one who betrays his friends, one who cheats others, one who lies for his personal benefits, one who eats ahead of the guests or gods and one who eats without offering to the souls of his ancestors. May our society be void of one who hates or kills braahmana s or one who destroys our efforts."

" The houses of the noble always offer food,water,shelter and welcoming word to the oncomers without any recess. Their houses are abodes of truthfulness. The very existence of such noble souls is for the purpose of serving others with devotion. A carriage made of wood is useful in carrying or transporting heavy loads but no tree howsoever large can do that, though they are materially the same. Similarly, people of noble birth too, are capable of executimg any hard assignment, though they appear like the other common class in form and looks. They differ from others in abilities as a carriage does from the wood."

" A man of frightening anger and a man who cannot be served with trust, cannot be a friend to others. A true friend is one in whom people can safely trust like in their father. Others are just like acquaintences. A person who behaves like a true friend eventhough he is not related to us, is the real friend in deed. He can be our recourse and he can be our ultimate saviour. A fickleminded fellow who doesn't learn from the elderly mentors cannot acquire dependable friends. Just as the swans avoid a dry tank, all the benefits elude one whose thoughts are unstable, who is not a master of his own senses and who is not learned enough. A bad fellow gets annoyed and gets pleased unwarrantedly, with moods as wavering as a flying cloud. Those who won't mind to help back their friends that had helped or saved them earlier, are the worst ungreatful and even the carnivorous animals won't touch their corpses. Whether rich or poor, one should respect one'e friends. Actually, one knows the trueness of his friends only by not expressing any wish for help."

Distress spoils form, distress depletes strength, distress destroys wisdom and distress brings bodily deseases. Never feel aggrievd, as grief fetches nothing but in stead it plagues the body and it makes your enemies happier."

" Again and again, a human being takes a birth and meets his death , again and again he prospers and ruins, again and again he begs and is begged, again and again he laments and is lamented about by others. It means that nothing is permanent and as such nothing is to be lamented over. Pleasures and sorrows, gains and losses, successses and failures, births and deaths, all these occur to every one in their turns. Hence a composed man shall not feel happy or sad about these things."

"The mind and the five sensory organs , all six, are highly unstable. As and when any of these is at its crisis, so and then will the wisdom decrease, like water trickles out from a porous pot."

Then Dhritharaashtra interrupted. " Vidura! Yudhishthira was illtreated by me . He remains like a fire subsided but growing internally and ready to burst up. He won't stop before seeing the end of my sons in the war. I see everyone nervous always. I am myself nervous all the while. You please tell me something that staves off this nervousness. "

Vidura answered . " King! I see no other means for peacefulness to you ,than enlightening of mind, penitence, control of senses and sheding of greed. The learned say that, one defeats fears with wisdom, attains greatness and support of the great through penance, acquires wisdom from serving the learned teachers, and attains peacefulness from control of mind (by fixing its instability). Those who don't attach themselves to the virtues acquired by their alms or vedic studies and shed such feelings like hatred and affinity, will be like having attained salvation in this world itself. A well practiced study, a well fought fight, a well executed act and a well observed penance - all these give bliss at their end."

" Unduly biased people cannot have sleep though resting in the softest beds, cannot enjoy time with their most beautiful women too, cannot feel pleasure from the singing of eulogies by their bards. Such people never follow virtue, nor do they feel contented, nor do they enjoy pleasures, nor can they command honour of the world, nor can they like peace. They won't listen to what is good, they can't permanently acquire things, they cannot secure what is obtained. Their destination is nothing except destruction."

" Cows are known for abundance of milk (and other products from it), braahmana s for penance in them, women for unstablity in thoughts and paternal cousins for creating troubles to their siblings or cousins. Firebrands emit smokes when several and burn out when united. Similarly, rival kinsmen too fume angers on their counterparts when apart and destroy them as well as themselves when live together. Though the nature of rival cousins is to vie with and harass their counterparts, Paandavas are exception. They were brought up by you and taken care of by you. They have been bearing out of their patience, many troubles caused by you. They could manage to guard themselves as they are rich in friends and relatives. They have become a living example for what is goodness. You join them with your sons and their common strength becomes invincible, making you haapier ever. Those who harass braahmana s, scholars,women, gentle kinsmen and cows do eject themselves from their safety just like a ripe fruit drops from its stalk. A lone tree, however large, however strong, however deep-rooted, can be demolished by stron winds. Many trees standing together, though small or weak, can withstand against great winds, due to their unity and proximity. Likewise, kinsmen too, become vulnerable to their foes by dividing among themselves and become formidable by being united. A single person howsoever great, wise and valorous he may be,is sure to be taken over by his enemies sooner or later. Kinsmen grow together by unity and love among themselves, looking like the lotuses in the pond to the pleasure of the onlookers."

" Those ought not to be killed are - braahmana s,cows,kinsmen,children,women,refugees and benefactors. Wealth is the only merit in men ( others without that are not counted and wealth covers up all demerits) and desease is nothing short of death to men. Anger is like something that is not a symptom of desease, harsh, torments the mind, entails sins, bitter, torrid and formidable. That cannot be subdued by mean hearts. Only high souls can aontrol it. You king, try to swallow down your anger. Anger causes distress and distress, as I told you a few minutes ago, causes physical and mental deseases. Deseaed cannot enjoy fruit or medicine. They lose comprehension of things and thought.They are always melancholic. Neither wealth nor pleasures can comfort them."

" I told you in the beginning itself, my King, when the gambling started. I invoked you to bar Duryodhana from that vilesome game at least after seeing Droupadi wagered and lost . But you did not listen to my words and didn't hold your son from the path of gambling, proscribed to our class. The strength that incurs the enemity of gentle class is not a true strength at all. Wealth acquired through cruel strength destroys its holders, whereas the same obtained through virtuous strength stays through generations. The secrets of virtue are subtle and are to be followed with care and devotion. May your sons protect Paandavas and may Paandavas guard your sons. May they have common foes and common friends. May they have a common target. May they live long haappy and prosperous. King, You are now the kingpin to your entire clan. Our kuru race ans its walfare rests on you. You protect the exile-worn, yet obedient Paandavas and thereby protect your fame too. You unite your sons and Paandavas so that no others can think of aiming at them. They are in the path of truth and virtue, you bring your son too into that path for their common good."

Vidura continued further. " King! Manu described men of these fourteen types as such foolish as trying to bend the rain bow or catch hold of Sunrays or trying to hit against the sky. 1. Those who try to teach the indoctrinable people, 2. Who feels satisfied too easily for too small achievements, 3. who is incumbered with protection of women and still feels easy, 4. Who believes in his enemies and yet confident of safety, 5. Who begs before the unfit persons, 6. Who boasts of himself unwarrantedly, 7. Who, though of high birth, resorts to indecent things, 8. who himself is weak, yet maintains enemity with stronger foes, 9. who teaches the uninterested, 10. who is desirous of enjoying the undesirable, 11. who allows himself to bawdy jestings with his own daughter-in-law, 12. who seeks protection from his own daughter-in-law ( or her relatives) but still demands respect from her, 13. who illegitimately begets children from others' wives, 14. who throws words at women, 15. who takes from others but pretends to have forgotten and 17. who promises alms but does not deliver yet claims his donation when reminded of it and 17. who tries to pose the bad as good to the world. All these will be dragged to the hell."

" It is justified if a person behaves with others just the same way as they behave with him. True people should be given true treatment and the wicked, a cunning treatment."

Dhritharaashtra querried then. " Vidura, It is said that a man shall live for a hundred years. Then, why is it that everybody doesn't live that long? "

Vidura answered. "As I told you earlier, egotic persistence destroys everything. It is foolish to blame death for the loss of life. There are six flaws like six sharp knives that drive our life away. 1. boundless egotism, 2. too much of harsh talk, 3. too much unwillingness to part with things for others, 4. too much of selfishness, 5. too much of anger and 6. betrayal towards trusting friends. May you save yourself from these dangerous six elements."

It is said that it is equal to the slaying of a braahmana if, 1. one traps a friend's wife, 2. one molests one's teacher's wife, 3. a braahmana marries a shoodra woman, 4. a braahmana takes to drinking, 5. a chieftain of a village destroys the livelihood of thers, 6. anybody employing braahmana s for his personal labour and 7. one kills a refugee . Even mingling with them too requires severe penitences, as our codes prescribed."

" A listener of elders, good at moral policies, generous, feeder of guests and gods before eating for himself, a nonviolence practiser, a person away from disdainable deeds, greatful, true and gentle to others will have the way paved to heaven. "

' King! There are many speakers available always to speak that pleases the listener; but a speaker of good(advice), though displeasing, is scarce , as scarce as its listener too. A true associate to a king is such a one, who, bound to virtue, goes on telling what is good to the king, unmindful of its pleasing or displeasing him. I told you on the day of gambling that there were instances of severe enemity among kings caused by gambling and that the learned should not take it up even for the fun of it. But you didn't mind to care for my words as a sick man rejecting a true medicine. It is said that, if needded, one person should be abandoned for the sake of a clan, a clan be sacrificed for a village, a village for a kingdom and everything for one's own sake. About the case of forced abondoning, our elders said that one should save monies for an exigency, should save women even at the cost of the monies and should save oneself even at the cost of monies and women."

You took up the sides with your sons and cornered the Paandavas just like choosing the crows against the beautiful peacocks. You preferred saving the useless foxes to saving the strong lions and now, when the time of its fruit comes, you lament !"

" The followers of a king heartily trust in him and will never leave him in hard times, provided that he doesn't illtreat them despite their sincere loyalty to him. A king should not resort to the means of expanding his territories at the cost of the wealth and enjoyment of his followers or dependents, for such practice makes even the loyal ones turn bitter and eventually they leave him because of their displeasure over their reduced wealth and pleasures. Before attempting any new venture, a king should assess in detail the possibility or otherwise of its success, should compare the revenues and expenditures to adopt an apt policy and should procure dependable and favourable associates, since any achievement is possible only through loyal associates. A king should as much honour a true associate as verily himself, if the latter is interested in the king's welafare, is well aware of the king's intentions, is able to discharge the entrusted responsibilities without fault, is honest enough to advice for the benefit of the king without fear or favour and knows who is capable of what."

" Such a servant is to be dismissed instantly, as one who doesn't care for the instructions, who offers counters for given orders, who holds himself high and who speaks with a negative approach. A person suitable to be an emissary is one, who is devoid of pride, who is not incompetent, who is not undecisive, who is not vulnerable to be lured,who is compassionate, who is of sound health and who speaks convincingly."

" A man of sensible thoughts shall not be unduly venturesome to have a night-halt in his enemy's place, should not hide in a town sqare during night time and shouldn't desire for a woman whom the king himself desires." " It is neither wise to bluntly oppose a decision coming from a collective plan of wicked majority nor justified to concur with them, yet, one should not openly disclose one's not confiding with them , but should cleverly offer some elusive reply and escape from being witchhunted."

" A too compassionate king, a characterless woman, a royal employee, a son, a brother, a widow, a mother of young children, a worker in armed force and an ousted officer are to be avoided in monetary transactions."

"As I told you earlier, a person shines from these eight qualities - talent, birth ( in a high caste ),self-control, education, valour, being conservative in speech, generousity to one's level and greatfulness. But a king's favourite is ( looked upon ) as good as having all these qualities in him."

" A man with a habbit of bathing daily with the prescribed frequency will have these ten; energy, beauty, vocal clarity,nice voice, soft skin, fine body odour, purity, tenderness, lustre and nice women."

"A man who eats moderately has six benefits; health, longevity,strength, comfort, a healthy offspring and avoidance of being called gluttonous."

"One should not harbour in one's house, a lazy fellow, a glutton, a person whom everybody hates, a cunning deceiver, a cruel fellow, an unintellect ( of suitability of time and place) and a person of abhorable looks. Never should one, even in the gravest of adversities, beg before a miser, a lose-tounge, an uncultured fellow,an insensible one, a deceitful one, one who regards unworthy people, a cruel one, an antogonist and an ungreatful one. One should never associate with these six rougues; a hooligan, a constantly erring person, an infernal liar, a man of erratic trust, an unfriendly one and an extremely arrogant person. Our interests involve our associates and our associates involve in our interests. These two are interdependent, one without the other cannot be consistent."

" Having begotten sons, having seen them settled in their lives,free of encumbrences and having got the daughters married to suitable grooms, one should go reclusive to the forests, in quest of God's path. One should do only what is as good to others as benefcial to one's own self. This will become the basis in the view of God to decide our future rewards. Wherefore does one entertain the fear of smooth living, if one has prosperity ( with the aid of associates), victory ( over foes with aid of associates ), valour ( grown from associates), strength (increased from associates), efforts ( successful from associates) and dedication (coming to fruition with the help of associates) ? As a good associate is helpful in so many ways, one shouldn't forego such people."

Paandavas are such a fine associates you could ever imagine to get, yet you maintain enemity with them whom the gods too dread. You see the flaws in doing that dangerous thing ; enemity with nephews, a constant tension and fear of dangers, an indelible blemish on your fame and a source of delight to your adversaries. The horrible wrath of you,Bheeshma and Yudhishthira is assuming the form of an pmenous comet that portends destruction of this world. May it so haapen that your sons, Karna and the five Paandavas will rule the entire earth amids the seas. Your sons are like a forest and Paandavas are like tigers. Forest guards the tigers and tigers protect the forest. No forest without tigers is safe and no tigers out of forest are safe. Don't destroy the forest and the tigers altogether."

" Crooked people do not so much wish to see others' merits as they wish to see their flaws. One aspiring to the best benefits should first stick on to virtue, as benefits rest only on virtue as ambrosia lies only in the heaven. One whose mind holds itself from sins and commits itself to virtues, will attain the prime knowledge of what is fundamental (prakrithi) and what is derivative (vikrithi) in the whole existence. He who strives for virtue, benefits and desires as per their appropriations, will enjoy all of tem in this world and the next one (though salvation is not assured). He will prosper, who can control the passions of anger or happiness and who is not moved by troubles. A man's strength is said to be of five types, the least is physical strength, higher to it is the strength from associates, next higher is the one from wealth, next higher is one from ancestral sources and influences whereas the the highest is the one from one's own wisdom. This one is as good as a combination of all of the earlier four and the best of all too."

" When one has enemity with a foe capable of harming greatly, one caanot feel safe just because one is far away from him. After all, can any wise man take for granted enemies,women,kings,snakes,masters,study of vedas, the able ones,luxuries and longevity ? For a person falling victim to an able enemy's starategy, there are no physicians, no remedial medicines, no propitiatory rites, no chantings, no auspicious rites, no prepared compositions and no processes from atharva veda too, to allay the effect. A lion, fire, a snake and a kinsman of noble valour shall never be illtreated, as these are very powerful. Fire, which is a great power, lies latently in a wood but that wood cannot be useful until it is kindled by others. The moment that is rubbed with another wood and kindled, it will at once consume the entire forest alongwith itself. Similarly, Paandavas,your kinsmen of high prowess, though as powerful as fire, are calm like a wood with hidden powers due to their patience and forgiveness. Let them not be provoked until they emit fire at us. You must understand that you and your sons are like creepers and Paandavas are like a huge tree. No creeper can survive safe and long without entwining around a huge tree. I repeat my King, your sons are like a forest and Paandavas are like lions. A forest not inhabited by lions is liable for destruction and lions devoid of the shield of forest become vulnerable."

Till now, Vidura quite often pointed out to Dhritharaashtra, what his follies were, how cruel and unjust his son Duryodhana was and how the Paandavas were to be redressed of their grievances caused by him. At times, he was too clear to miss. Now, as a matter of talk, he goes on speaking about some common moral code so as to keep him at ease. He continued.

" When an elder comes near a sitting younger, the lives of the latter will start to fly off to depart him which he regains them by standing, meeting the elder, bowing and declaring himself by his own name. A cultured man shall comfort a good guest by offering him a seat and water, by washing his feet and by inquiring his welfare. Therafter, he should humbly talk of his own welfare and offer him food. If any householder does not offer water, cow, sweets and garment to a learned guest, either out of meanness or fear or miserliness, his life is considered a mere waste. A physician, a weapon-maker, a violator of code of celibacy, a thief,a cruel person, a drunkard, a foetus killer, a arm bearer( for his livelihood) and a seller of vedic knowledge are, howsoever dear they may be, ineligible to offer cow, water etc, but normal treatment must be given as a matter of duty. It is of course,said that salt, cooked rice, curd, milk, honey,oil, ghee ( clarified butter), meat, fruit, roots, vegetables, red (or dyed) garments, perfumes and jaggery are not to be sold."

" A mendicant is one who is devoid of anger, who sees gold and pebbles alike, who doesn't grieve for anything, who doesn't mind friendship or enemity, who doesn't care for blame or praise, who doesn't prefer or deride anything and who doesn't attach himself to anything. A hermit is one who lives on petty grains,roots or vegetables, is confined to forests, is devoted to fire-worship, is master of his mind, is very careful in treating the guests, is a good conductor of his duties and is inclined only to doing virtuesome deeds. When even a hermit is to honour guests, what to talk of a householder?"

" One should not harm a clever enemy and still feel safe just because of the distance from him. A clever man's hands are very long, long enough to settle with his tormentors. Never trust in the untrustful, never trust too much in the trustworthy too. A fear originating from breach of trust will cut into the deepest roots. One should not be jealous, should treat one's wives very carefully and tenderly, should be of a smooth tounge, amiable and pleasing to the women, but should not become subdued to them. Women are the lights of the houses; they are the wealth of the family; tey are pious and respectable; hence they are to be protected with care and concern."

" The harem ( affairs of women like marriages and protection) is to be left to the father, the kitchen ( food affairs) to the mother, cattle to someone who is as good as one's self and agriculture is to be supervised pesonally. Workers may be employed for running normal affairs but sons themselves shall be engaged in charge of service of the braahmana s."

"Fire, kshathriya and iron originate from water,braahmana and stone. Their power prevails everywhere but fails in their sources. Noble men of high origin are really powerful but appear calm, due to their self-control,like the latent fire in the wood.So is the case with the powerful yet tolerant Paandavas."

"Such a king will spread his sight ( spies) everywhere and long enjoy prosperities, whose activities are not scented either by insiders or outsiders. A king should not reveal what he is going to do about his activities regarding virtue, benefits or desires but should disclose only what he actually did. Then, his plans are safe from leakage. To protect secret consultations from overhearing ( by enemies), these should be held preferably on a hillock or in a lonely upper chamber of a palace or in a garden area without thick bushes around. Even a close friend but not wise or even wise but not stable-minded, should not be taken as a consutant minister. A thorough test shall be done for his abilities. Materialisation of benefits and protection of plans rest on ministers. A king is said to be of the best policies of virtue, benefits and desires, if his consultants too come to know of them only after their being implemented. Is there any doubt in frution of aims of such a king who maintains his plans so secret? One who imprudently opts to attempt at uncommendable goals falls victim to their unhappy results and may have to forego his life too. It is for one's good to undertake only the worthy deeds and refusal of their undertaking is just for one's sufferings. Just as a braahmana of no vedic study is eneligible to participate in rituals, so is a man unfit to participate in regal consultations if he is not wellversed with the six (attack,truce,campaign,awaiting proper time, causing difference among enemies and joining with a stronger alley) ways of royal policies. This entire earth comes under his control, who is well aware of his status, development and decrease, who knows the proper moment to adopt the six policies and most importantly, who does not disdain others' merits and conduct. For a king whose pleasure or displeasure has its own result, who often reviews his actions and whose self-confidence is a treasure for him, the earth just yields all wealth. "

" A king should feel pleasure in being a king formally. He should enjoy the wealth alongwith his followers and dependents but shouldn't take everything for himself alone. A braahmana knows about another braahmana ;a husband knows about his wife; a king knows about his ministers; but only a king can understand or estimate another king. If an enemy deserving killing is captured, he should be put to death lest he should surely cause trouble within no time. In case the captured enemy himself is stronger, he should be conciliated with."

" One shoudn't be stubbornly angry ( anger should be controlled in their cases) with the gods, kings, braahmana s, elders, children and the sick. A wise man should not engage in unreasonable disputes, in which only the unwise find interest . Such an abstinence brings good name and avoids troubles. The subjects don't accept such a king whose anger causes no fear or sympathy causes no favour, just like the women don't accept a eunuch husband."

" Only wisdom does not guaranree wealth or foolishness alone causes poverty. The ups and downs occuring in life are better perceived(that actions alone bring their fruits) by a wise man but not others. An unwise man always derides those who are great by knowledge, character, age, wisdom, wealth and birth. Calamities swarm up around one who is unwise, jealous, harsh-toungued, too touchy and whose conduct is unbecoming of his status. An honest generousity, non-violation of established systems and a sweet tounge will win everyone to one's side. An honest, able, greatful, intelligent and sincere king, though weak in treasury, will always have support of all others around.

Courage, self-control,passion-free mind, purity of thought,pity, a smooth talk and sincerity towards friends, these seven are the fuel for expansion of wealth. A king who cannot allow share to his followers, who is cruel,ungreatful and shameless is surely a bad one and is to be abandoned at once. One who incurs the wrath of his faithful followers all because of his own follies,cannot even freely sleep at night, feeling as unsafe as in a house with a snake in it. Like one does the gods, one should always keep those people in good spirits Whose detriment strikes at the safety of one's own present and future prosperity ( the original word is 'yogakshema '. yoga=new wealth acquring, kshema=safety of existing one.). Any interests in the hands of women, the careless,the ruiined and the crooked are almost gone. When a woman,a gambler or an inexperienced is in the command, they are as sure to sink in troubles as a stone-raft in a river. I reckon such people as the learned, who are always ready to help in times of need and keep themselves away at other times. The other category are only promoters of crowd and noise. A man falling for the praises of gamblers,bards and harlots are sure to lose his everything and life too."

" You deserted such great heroes as Paandavas and installed your son Duryodhana in the command of our great wealth and kingdom. You will surely see him fall from his position as the Demon Bali from the leadership of the three worlds."

Dhritharaashtra said, " Vidura! A man is just a puppet in the hands of the God, not a master of his own good or bad. I am myself helpless. Go on talking to me, I am interested in listening."

Vidura did not say anything about his response but continued. "O King! Even Brihaspathi becomes a laughing stock and gets his wisdom insulted if he speaks unfit to the occasion. Some people become dear to us by giving something to us, some become dear by talking appealingly pleasing to us and some other by his strength or strategic help. Anyway, a dear one is a dear one always. Once we consider a person as our dear one, we will see all his actions as good ones. But if we stamp a man is our hostile, we abhor all his actions as unworthy; we refuse to notice his goodness,wisdom or scholarship."

" Sir, The very day Duryodhana was born , I told you that you should abandon him, as deserting him alone would save your hundred sons and attaching to himself would cost you your hundred sons. No rise entailing fall shall be reckoned as a rise and no fall resulting in rise in due course shall be seen as a fall either. A fall just doesn't necessarily mean a decrease in wealth. But a true fall is that unwanted addition too, which destroys the whole lot. Some people are rich in wealth and some in merits. You always keep away those rich in wealth but poor in merits."

Dhritharaashtra heard Vidura's direct advice of abandoning his son and said, " Vidura, What you say is passed by the learned and brings good in the end. But I cannot throw away my son. Let virtue save its followers."

Vidura went on talking.

" A humble one of excellent merits will never allow the existence of even a minute source of troubles to the beings in general. Some people always intently engage themselves in finding faults with others, troubling others and creating differences among others. Even meeting such people is a sin, talking to them is source of danger. Never should there be giving and taking with such ones which results in the worst. Those who are selfish,shameless,adamant and promotors of differences are disdained by all and such people shall be avoided in friendship. And people infested with other deridable traits are to be avoided too. Detachment from detestable fellows reduces affinity towards them and with that any luring little benefit or pleasure from their company too disappears. A loathsome fellow once thrown away, will always try to harm and he is not satisfied with minor harms. He is keen at destroying due to his spitefulness. A wise man should keenly estimate his company with such unscrupulous and cruel elements and avoid for good. A person wishing for his prosperity and welafre of his family , shall take care of his kinsmen who are in troubles. That brings him limitless benefits. When it is said that kinsmen shall be guarded eventhough they are of mean merits, what to talk of those like Paandavas who are endowed with every merit and still pray for your grace ! Kindly be good to them and allow at least a few villages to them for their maintenance. Thus will you gain a good name . You being the elder of the family shall command your sons for the good of the clan. It is my duty, as a wellwisher, to tell you what is good to you all. A man aspiring to good shall not maintain enemity with kinsmen. There should be dining,chatting, pleasing and enjoying pleasures with kinsmen but not mutual enemity. It is true that kinsmen will save or kill too. The good ones do the first thing and others do the second. Be good to the good Paandavas. With them on your side, you will become invincible to your foes. A person suffering plights despite having rich kinsmen who neglect him, leaves the blame on those kinsmen, just as an animal does on a hunter by being killed from his poisoned arrows. You will surely lament in future at least, by hearing them or your sons killed in the war. Don't forget this. In our uncertain life, we should refrain in the beginning itself from doing such follies which cause us smoulder later in a lonely room. Of course, leaving Shukra or the like, every common man is subject to mistake but learning a lesson from such mistakes is only seen in the wise."

Similarly, It is your eldership that shall correct the sins previously done by Duryodhana towards the Paandavas. You will become purified and honorable to the learned if you install Paandavas in their former position. He is blessed with best permanent fame who honours the counselling of the learned , estimates the results of their adoption and then decides his policies. Sometimes, advice of even the wisest goes futile, as what is taught is not comprehended or what is comprehended is not implemented. One who doesn't make an effort of painful results, always prospers. And a fool who fails to remember and review his earlier follies, is bound to sink in unfathomable mud of troubles."

" A wise man conscious of guarding his benefits shall always take care of these six sources of ruining his strategies. Arrogance,slothfulness,incomprehension,his own outward countenance,trust in an unworthy minister and an uncapable emissary. One who is good at sealing these six leaks excels in attaining the three ends(dharma,artha,kaama) and outplays his foes. Even the likes of Brihaspathi too, cannot understand virtue and benefits without studying and learning from the learned."

"That falls in the sea is lost, that taught to an unmindful listener is lost, that studied by a mean fellow is lost and an oblation without fire is lost. A wise man should choose to make friends with similar people, only after repeatedly testing them through thought and deeds, in person and by others too. Humility avoids infamy; prowess staves danger; forgiveness kills anger and custom (if adopted) avoids misbehaviour. One's nobility shall be tested from his dress, native place, household, customs, food habbits and comforts he enjoys. Even a renounced fellow won't refuse what comes by itself; then what to talk of a desirous one? "

"One should always see to tie up with an honoured scholar, a virtueful one, an amiable one, a person rich in friends,a sweet-toungued one and a true friend. Whether of a noble birth or not,the one who knows his limits , who is virtue-bound, soft-hearted and shy of mean deeds will ameliorate a hundred nobles. Friendship between such people stands firmly, whose thoughts,intellects and talents are concordant with each other. A wise man should avoid friendship with such one who is crooked, unwise and dangerous like a grass-covered well, as company with such people doesn't last long. Also to be avoided are proud,adament,cruel,criminal,hasty and unvirtueful people. A true friend is one who is greatful,virtueful,truthful, devoted, master of sensories, aware of limits and un deserting."

"The ability to absolutely refrain one's senses form their objects is as wonderful as winning against death. But, too more a freedom to the senses beyond the necessary level will ruin even the gods. The learned people say that gentleness towards all,being free of envy,forgiveness,courage and revering the friends, are the things that nourish the longevity. Through a determined mind and an acceptable means, does an uncontemptible person strive to regain the interests he lost. One planning for the future , firmly deciding about present jobs and marking the past tasks for completion, will never lose his interests. One is pulled away by what one thnks,says and does;hence one shall always think of good things. Touching the auspicious things, company of allies, erudition, efforts, sincerity and frequently visiting the good people, bring prosperity. Effortfulness is the base of wealth,auspiciousness and accumulation of benefits; a man of efforts enjoys limitless pleasures. tolerance is always and everywhere the best and beneficial companion for an able man in all his efforts. An incompetent one tolerates everything due to his inability but an able one does for the sake of virtue; and for one equipoised to good and bad, tolerance is always the best (whether he is able or not). Subject to virtue and benefits, one may heartily enjoy any pleasures but should not be blindly attached to them."

" Fortune(wealth,power,fame etc) doesn't stay with the plaintive, the reckless,the atheists, the slothfull, the non-mettlesom and the sensory-ridden. It also keeps away, as if afraid to reach, from those who are too gentle, too generous, too punctilious, too valorous and too much confident of themselves. It is not bound to be with those of too many merits or those of too many demerits. It has neither affinity to merits nor love to demerits. It behaves madly, like a blind cow, staying where she chooses to."

" A man of rectitude and shy of losing it is often seen as uncapable and the mean class try to corner him."

" Vedic study is for worshipping Agni; education is for character and behaviour; a wife is for sensual appeal and offspring ; and, monies are for alms and enjoyment."

If unjust earnings are used for rituals to gain status in the next world, the doer's spirit will not get the intended yields due to the sinful earning. A composed person remains stable even in dense forests or in unknown terrains or in the face of grave dangers or amidst troubles or right under a fierce attack. Initiative, self-control, capability,carefulness,courage, unforgetfulness and assessment before attempt are the base for prosperity and welfare. Penance is the power of sages, ultimate realisation is the power of thinkers(about the universal soul), violence is the power of the evil and forgiveness is the power of the noble class."

" The eight things that will not break a religious resolution are, (in-take of) water, roots, fruits,milk, sacrificial hacatombs,medicines, (deviation due to) a cause of a braahmana , and preceptor's direction."

"Simply put, the ultimate virtue is that, one should not inflict on others what one sees bad to oneself. Wanton actions are just unrighteous."

" We should win anger with placidity, bad with good, miserliness with generousity and untruthfulness with truthfulness. One shouldnot believe in an unchaste woman, a cheater,a coward,a lazy one,a wrathful one,an egotist,an ungreatful one and an atheist. Fame, longevity,strength and reputation - these four will flourish in one who is in the practice of bowing to and serving the elders. O king! Let your mind not be after such an object that can be achieved through utmost strain,or through violation of code of virtue or through bowing to the enemy. one devoid of culture(education), coition not resulting in offspring, starving people and an anarchaic state are pitiable. A long walk i.e. journey is old age (trying) to the corpulent, heavy rains are old age (slacken them, making the cliffs fall) to the hills , want of carnal pleasures is old age (horrible) to women and biting words are old age (tormemting) to the mind. Non-recital is the filth to Vedas, having no strict code is filth to braahmana , the Baahleeka land is filth to the earth and separation (from husband) is filth to women. Silver is impurity in gold,lead is impurity in silver and sediment is an impurity to lead."

"One cannot win over sleep by sleeping, women by their enjoying, fire by supplying fuel and wine by its ample drinking. Successful is his life, who satisfies his allies with giving, enemies with fighting in the war and family with provisions."

" King! Those with a hundred live, those with a thousand too live. Shed greed (on wealth). There is no way that one cannot live. One won't get deluded if one understands that all the women,wealth,cattle and food in the world together cannot satisfy a single man's greed. I invoke to you again, my King, to see Paandavas and your sons equally, if you are unbiased."

Vidura stressed the need of making peace with the Paandavas but seeing Dhritharaashtra unmindful to answer , he continued.

" Fame comes to such a gentleman who won't get proud, despite being honoured by the noble people , but instead humbly goes on with his best effrots for success. It is blessing of the graceous noble people that bestows success and pleasures. He who voluntarily refrains himself from efforts that promise high yields but at the cost of righteousness, will shed all his grief like a snake moulting its skin and sleeps heartily."

" Getting benefit through untrue means, slandering about the king and troubling the preceptor with untrue behaviour are all as sinful as slaying of a braahmana . Jealousy is synonym to death, talking beyond limits costs fortunes."

"The three enemies to learning are hurry, boasting and disregard towards teachers. Laxity, pride,fickleness,trifling, hotheadedness, and greediness are the seven vices that harm a true student. How can a pleasure seeker learn (educate) and how can a learner seek pleasure? A pleasure seeker should abandon learning and a learning-seeker should not mind pleasures."

" Fire is never satisfied with fuel,ocean with in-flowing rivers, death with the whole lot of beings and a lustful woman with men."

" Greed kills mental composition, time (age) kills strength, anger kills prosperity, miserliness kills fame, negligence kills cattle whereas O King, one annoyed braahmana kills the entire state."

" Goats, bell-metal,silver, remedies(antedotes) to poison,a bird,a vedic scholar, an elderly kinsman and an impoverished noble, these should always be available with your household. Manu prescribed that a householder should keep these items ready to use in worshipping the gods and braahmanas; goat, ox,sandal wood, harp, mirror,honey, ghee, iron, copper,conch, ox-gall and a saalagraama ( a smooth stone, considered to be a form of Vishnu)."

" King! This is the best and ultimate of the righteous paths, never should one give up virtue either due to fears,or lusts or dangers even to the very life itself. Virtue is eternal, pleasure and trouble are transient; the soul is eternal but its cause (to take manifeatation) is temporal. You give up the temporal things and strive for the eternal one. Be blissful with that achievement."

"Think, O King! Many great kings who ruled over the entire prosperous earth had succumbed to death leaving their powers and pleasures. People drag out of their houses the corpse of even a labouriously brought up son, wail bitterly for him until they get dishevelled but finally throw him on the pyre like a wood. The elements of a dead man's body go to fire or birds, riches yo some other, while he is accompanied to the next world by but two things, his virtues and sins. All the sons,kins and friends leave a dead man and go like the birds abondoning a tree that lost its flowers and fruits. One should accumulate virtues with effort, as a dead man is accompanied only by his deeds. Beyond this world, both above and below, there is a great dark hell that totally decieves the senses. Beware of that , my King! May that not hit upon you!

" The soul is a river. It springs from the truth (Brahma). Steadiness is its shores. Mercy is its waves. A righteous one bathes in it and becomes virtuesome. A virtuous soul means a soul free from greed. Life is like a river. The five senses are its water. Desire and anger are alligators in it. Use the raft of steadiness (not to deviate from virtue) and pass the dangers of re-birth. He who respectfully prays for advice in respect of adoptable and unadoptable deeds, from his kinsmen who are elder to him by age,learnning,knowledge and virtues, will never commit a mistake. Hunger and lust are to be controlled by steadiness, hands and feet are to be guarded by the eyes, ears and eyes are to be guarded by the mind and finally, the mind and speech are to be guarded by right deeds.If you can listen,understand and truly practice this, you will attain the best fame and will never have to be afraid of anything here or after."

"A braahmana doesn't fall from the path of Brahma's world provided he bathes and offers everyday, performs(sacrifices) and recites(vedas) daily, avoids undeserved food (offered by the unfit people), speaks only truth and obeys his preceptors. A kshathriya attains the heaven by learning the vedas, worshipping the fire, performing sacrifices, ruling the people, staking himself for the cause of cows or braahmana s and throwing his life in war. A vyshya goes to the heaven after his death if he recites vedas,learns scriptures, helps braahmana s or kshathriya s or other refugees with his finances and performs sacrifices inhaling the smokes from the three fires. A shoodra burns all his sins and rejoices in the heaven after this life if he helps the other three orders respectfully, with no agony at their pleasures. Thiese are the duties of the people of the four orders. And also listen the reason for my telling this to you now. Your nephew Yudhishthira is about to slide off from kshathriya 's path (of ruling), whom You must reestablish therein. "

Thus discoursing on general and specific issues, Vidura concluded. After listening all this, Dhritharaashtra said, " Vidura! You have been teaching me thisway everyday. You are true too in your teachings and my mind appreciates them too. I think of following your word in respect of Paandavas but the moment I see my son Duryodhana, my mind reverts back to its original status. After all, destiny is unsurpaasable to any creature. It always overridingly prevails over human efforts which are just futile."

END OF PRAJAAGARA PARVA