विदुर

यन्त्रोपारोपितकोशांशः

कल्पद्रुमः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

विदुरः, पुं, (वेत्ति तच्छीलः । विद् + “विदिभिदि- च्छिदेः कुरच् ।” ३ । २ । १६२ । इति कुरच् ।) नागरः । घीरः । कौरवाणां मन्त्री । इति मेदिनी । रे, ११५ ॥ विदुरोत्पत्तिर्यथा, -- “क्षेत्रेऽप्रजस्य वै भ्रातुर्मात्रोक्तो वादरायणः । धृतराष्ट्रञ्च पाण्डुञ्च विदुरञ्चाप्यजीजनत् ॥” इति श्रीभागवते । ९ । २२ ॥ ज्ञातरि, त्रि । इत्यमरः ॥ * ॥

अमरकोशः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

विदुर वि।

ज्ञानशीलः

समानार्थक:ज्ञातृ,विदुर,विन्दु,दृश्

3।1।30।2।2

निराकरिष्णुः क्षिप्नुः स्यात्सान्द्रस्निग्धस्तु मेदुरः। ज्ञाता तु विदुरो विन्दुर्विकासी तु विकस्वरः॥

वैशिष्ट्यवत् : ज्ञानम्

पदार्थ-विभागः : , द्रव्यम्, पृथ्वी, चलसजीवः, मनुष्यः

वाचस्पत्यम्

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

विदुर¦ त्रि॰ विद--कुरच्।

१ नागरे

२ धीरे

३ कौरवाणां म-न्त्रिणि दासीगर्भजाते धर्म्मावतारभेदे च मेदि॰ भा॰ आ॰

१०

६ अ॰।

४ ज्ञातरि च अमरः।

शब्दसागरः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

विदुर¦ mfn. (-रः-रा-रं) Wise, knowing, intelligent. m. (-रः)
1. A liber- tine, an intriguer.
2. A learned or clever man.
3. The younger bro- ther and counsellor of DHRITARA4SHTRA. E. विद् to know, कुरच् aff.

Apte

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

विदुर [vidura], a. [विद्-कुरच् P.III.2.162] Wise, intelligent.

रः A wise or learned man.

A crafty man, an intriguer.

N. of the younger brother of Paṇḍu. [When Satyavatī found that both the sons begotten by Vyāsa upon her two daughters-in-law were physically incapacitated for the throne Dhṛitarāṣṭra being blind and Paṇḍu pale and sickly she asked them to seek the assistance of Vyāsa once more. But being frightened by the austere look of the sage, the elder widow sent one of her slave-girls dressed in her own clothes, and this girl became the mother of Vidura. He is remarkable for his great wisdom, righteousness, and strict impartiality. He particularly loved the Pāṇḍavas, and saved them from several critical dangers.] -Comp. -नीतिः, -प्रजागरः N. of chapters 33 to 4 in the 5th Parva of Mahābhārata.

Monier-Williams

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

विदुर mfn. knowing , wise , intelligent , skilled in( comp. ) Uttamac.

विदुर m. a learned or clever man W.

विदुर m. an intriguer ib.

विदुर m. N. of the younger brother of धृत-राष्ट्रand पाण्डु(they were all three sons of व्यास, but only the latter two by the two widows of विचित्र-वीर्य; when व्यासwanted a third son , the elder widow sent him one of her slave-girls , dressed in her own clothes , and this girl became the mother of विदुर, who is sometimes called क्षत्तृ, as if he were the son of a क्षत्रियman and शूद्रwoman विदुरis described as सर्व-बुद्धिमतां वरःand is one of the wisest characters in the महा-भारत, always ready with good advice both for his nephews , the पाण्डवs , and for his brother धृत-राष्ट्र) MBh. Hariv. Pur. (See. IW. 376 ; 385 etc. )

Purana index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

--a क्षेत्रज son of विचित्रवीर्य (through the female servants of the queens of विचित्रवीर्य-वि। प्।); a son of कृष्णद्वैपायन (व्यास) and a brother of धृतराष्ट्र. युधिष्ठिर narrated the services done by Vidura to the पाण्डवस् from the beginning and asked about the welfare of कृष्ण and others when Vidura spent some- time at हास्तिनपुर. Persuaded धृतराष्ट्र to leave the capital secretly to the हिमालयस् for penance, गान्धारी following him. फलकम्:F1: M. ५०. ४७; भा. IX. २२. २५; I. १३. 8-२९. वा. ९९. २४२;फलकम्:/F Insulted by Duryodhana, कर्ण, and शकुनि and ordered to be banished. Left हास्तिनपुर and wander- ed through the holy places and reaching प्रभासा, heard of the establishment of rule by युधिष्ठिर. Hearing of the death of his kinsmen he went back to the सरस्वती and performed ablutions at eleven different places sacred to Trita, उशनस्, etc. Passing through the flourishing सुराष्ट्र, सौवीर and other countries, he reached the यमुना and met Uddhava. Asked him about the welfare of his kinsmen in- cluding Ugrasena and sons of कृष्ण. Entertained by him and having heard of the last days of कृष्ण and the यादवस् and of the fact that Maitreya had been ordered by कृष्ण to be his preceptor, Vidura left यमुना for the Ganges where he met Maitreya. फलकम्:F2: भा. III. 1. (whole) chh. 2 and 3; 4. ३३-6; 5. 1.फलकम्:/F Being addressed, Maitreya said that Vidura was god Yama incarnate, and gave him a brief description of the creations and of the knowledge of one god, and that Hari was the goal. Listened to the story of उत्तान- पाद and his line, and the discourse on आत्मन्. फलकम्:F3: Ib. III. chh. 5 and 7 (whole); I. १३. 1-7; II. १०. ४८-50; IV. ३१. ३०.फलकम्:/F Left for हास्तिनपुर; having abandoned his relatives came back to [page३-228+ ३२] them. Welcomed by युधिष्ठिर and others. Invited for युधिष्ठिर's राजसूय in which he took an active part, and approved of the anointment of युधिष्ठिर. Went to Syaman- तपञ्चक for the solar eclipse, and left it after it was over. फलकम्:F4: Ib. १३. 1-7; X. ७४. १०; ७५. 6; ८०. [5]; ८२. २४; ८४. ६९[1]; XII. १२. 8.फलकम्:/F Seen by अक्रूर, met by कृतवर्मन्, राम and कृष्ण. फलकम्:F5: Ib. X. ४९. 1 and 6; ५२. [५६ (v) 4 and १२]; ५७. 2.फलकम्:/F After the death of धृतराष्ट्र and his wife, Vidura went on a pilgrimage and cast off his body at प्रभासा. Had realised the Yoga power of Hari. फलकम्:F6: Ib. I. १३. ५७-58; १५. ४९; II. 7. ४५.फलकम्:/F

Purana Encyclopedia

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

VIDURA I :

1) General information. Vidura was a superhuman being, very famous in the story of Mahābhārata, as a brother of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, as a man of colossal intelligence who had been closely watching the goings and comings of the Kauravas and the Pāṇḍavas, as the adviser of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and as a man of immense learning and wisdom.

2) Incarnation af Dharmadeva. There is a story in Mahā- Bhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 107, which describes Vidura as born from a portion of Dharmadeva. The story is given below.

Long ago there was a hermit called Māṇḍavya in India. As he was standing in deep meditation near his hermit- age, the men of the King chased some thieves and came to the place where the hermit stood. The robbers placed the stolen property near the hermit and ran away. The king's men caught the hermit, and the thieves. The King ordered them to be placed on a trident. The thieves died on the trident. But Māṇḍavya was not dead. The King sawed the trident and got Māṇḍavya down. The hermit went to Dharmadeva and asked him what his blame was for suffering the punish- ment of the trident on him. Dharmadeva replied that the punishment was inflicted for a cruel deed he had done in his childhood. He had caught some flies and made a bunch of them by piercing them with the rib of a coconut-palm leaf. But Māṇḍavya argued that Dharmadeva was not right in punishing him because the Śāstras and rules of righteousness said that mistakes committed by boys below the age of twelve could not be considered to be sins. Further he cursed Dharmadeva that he would take birth on the earth from the womb of a Śūdrā. Accordingly Dharmadeva took birth from the womb of the servant of Ambikā and Ambālikā.

3) Birth. Vidura was born as the brother of Dhṛta- rāṣṭra and Pāṇḍu. (For detailed story see under Dhṛta- rāṣṭra I, para 2).

4) Up to marriage. Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu and Vidura spent their younger days in Hastināpura as inseparable brothers. Their teacher was Bhīṣma. Vidura learned the Vedas, Śāstras, Purāṇas, Itihāsas etc. also, along with the education given to a prince such as archery, club-fight, sword-fight, wrestling, controlling elephants etc. He understood that to be righteous was far better than fighting. It is stated in Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 108, that Vidura got the sense of righteousness, and education in fighting, at the same time.

Childhood ended. As Vidura was born to a Brahmin by a Śūdrā woman he had no right to become King. When he grew up, the duty to find a wife for him fell on Bhīṣma. At that time a damsel born to a Brahmin by a Śūdrā woman was being brought up in the palace of King Devaka. With the permission of Devaka, Bhīṣma brought the girl and gave her in marriage to Vidura. It is stated in Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 114, that sons and daughters were born to the couple.

5) Partiality towards the Pāṇḍavas. Vidura was the most intelligent and wisest man of his time, and he always favoured righteousness. Though he viewed the Kauravas and the Pāṇḍavas with equal favour, in his heart he felt some partiality towards the Pāṇḍavas, because they were virtuous, whereas the Kauravas were becoming more and more wicked. As this partiality arose from his sense of righteousness, nobody could blame Vidura for this. His aim was the prosperity of the Lunar dynasty of Kings.

Many ill omens were seen at the time of the birth of Duryodhana. Vidura understood that if that infant grew up he would be a comet to the Lunar dynasty. It is mentioned in Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 115, that Vidura advised Dhṛtarāṣṭra that it would be better for him to throw away that infant.

The death of Pāṇḍu drew Vidura closer to the Pāṇḍavas. Vidura took the lead in performing the funeral rites and other ceremonies which followed. The Pāṇḍavas. were very sad and miserable at the death of their father. It was at this time that Duryodhana poisoned Bhīma- sena, tied him with a rope and threw him into the river Ganges. Bhīmasena was carried to the world of nāgas (serpents). Kuntī felt grieved at the loss of her son Bhīma, but Vidura consoled her.

It was due to the wisdom of Vidura that the Pāṇḍavas escaped from the disaster in the lac-house. As soon as Duryodhana had completed the lac-house, Vidura understood the deception lying hidden under it. and he informed the Pāṇḍavas of everything about it. Moreover he sent a man named Khanaka and made an underground passage from the lac-house. When the lac-house was burnt down, the Pāṇḍavas escaped by the under-ground passage and reached the banks of the Ganges. Vidura had sent a ferryman secretly to take them to the other side of the Ganges. When Bhīṣma got the news that the Pāṇḍavas had been burnt to death in the lac-house he became very sad. It is mentioned in Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 149, that Vidura informed Bhīṣma secretly that the Pāṇḍavas were not dead.

After this event the Pāṇḍavas come into the scene only at the Svayaṁvara (marriage) of Pāñcālī. Bhīṣma and Droṇa proposed that the Pāṇḍavas should be brought back and be given half of the kingdom. Vidura, by his arugments convinced Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the proposal of Bhīṣma and Droṇa was correct. Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Vidura to bring the Pāṇḍavas back. Vidura went to the city of Drupada and brought the Pāṇḍavas back and consoled their mother Kuntī. After this Yudhiṣṭhira performed Rājasūya (sacrifice of royal consecration). Vidura took part in it and took the charge of financial part of the sacrifice. It was after this that Duryodhana challenged Yudhiṣṭhira for a game of dice. Vidura saw beforehand that this move on the part of Duryodhana was dangerous. So he talked forcibly against this, and gave warning to all concerned. As Duryodhana did not agree with Vidura, he was scolded. But Duryodhana was firm and the game was conducted. Pāñcālī was harassed by means of stripping and the Pāṇḍavas went to the forest. It is stated in Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 3, that Vidura had been witnessing all these scenes with wet eyes.

6) Separated from the Pāṇḍavas. When the Pāṇḍavas were driven to the forest, Dhṛtarāṣṭra felt sorry. He became more afraid of the people than he was sorry for the Pāṇḍavas. He understood that his subjects would unite and rise against his sons. He called Vidura and asked him for a remedy. Vidura who was full of impatience, made a speech against the wicked- ness of the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and advised him to forsake his own sons and to bring the Pāṇḍavas back and give them the kingdom. Dhṛtarāṣṭra did not like this approach. He said that Vidura was partial to the Pāṇḍavas and asked him to go away from the palace. Vidura became grieved at this. He followed the Pāṇḍavas, and walking a long distance, reached the forest Kāmyaka and met the Pāṇḍavas.

When Vidura had gone Dhṛtarāṣṭra felt miserable. He sent for Vidura and when he returned Dhṛtarāṣṭra begged for pardon. Vidura again became the adviser of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. (M.B. Vana Parva, Chapter 6).

7) Adviser of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. The advice of Vidura is famous in Mahābhārata. The main duty of Vidura was to console Dhṛtarāṣṭra by speaking about righteousness when he became troubled in mind because of the const- ant quarrels between his sons and the Pāṇḍavas. Vidura fulfilled his duty well. Duryodhana was firm on the point that not a dot of land would be given to the Pāṇḍavas. Śrī Kṛṣṇa came to Hastināpura as mediator. Duryodhana showed disrespect to him. Vidura said in strong words that it was wrong on the part of Duryodhana to have done so and compelled Dhṛta- rāṣṭra to show due respect and hospitality to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Accordingly Dhṛtarāṣṭra welcomed Śrī Kṛṣṇa and showed respect and hospitality. Knowing this, Duryo- dhana and his brothers tried to make Śrī Kṛṣṇa a captive. Vidura harshly scolded them for this attempt. Seeing all these impudent actions on the part of his sons, Dhṛtarāṣṭra became distressed. Vidura consoled him by good exhortations. He told Dhṛtarāṣṭra about the transience of life and the importance of the soul. When the battle was fiercely going on in the battle- ground of Kurukṣetra, Vidura re ained with Dhrta- rāṣṭra consoling him and giving him good advice. The death of Bhīṣma was an unbearable grief to Vidura. He took part in the funeral of Bhīṣma. He himself placed the body on the funeral pyre. (M.B. Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 168, Stanza 11).

8) Pilgrimage. When Vidura failed in his attempt to ward off a pitched battle between the Kauravas and the Pāṇḍavas he felt extremely miserable. Without taking part in the battle, he started on a pilgrimage. Getting the news at Prabhāsaksetra about the end of the battle, he went to the basin of river Yamunā. On the way he heard the news of the passing away of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, from Uddhava. Before death Śrī Kṛṣṇa had revealed that Vidura had heard Uddhavagītā from Maitreya. This book which is in the form of a conver- sation between Vidura and Maitreya contains the talk between Kapila and Devahūti. Description of the line of Manus, sacrifice of Dakṣa, story of Dhruva, story of Pṛthu, story of Purañjana etc. were the subjects of the talk. (Bhāgavata, 3--4).

9) End. The Bhārata-battle came to an end. The Kauravas were exterminated. Efforts were begun to establish law and order. In all these efforts Vidura was a help to the Pāṇḍavas. Still he spent most of his time with the old Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Yudhiṣṭhira came to Dhṛta- rāṣṭra and both embraced each other. Seeing this Vidura cried aloud. Vidura advised Yudhiṣṭhira how to carry on the administration of the new government. After this he decided to go to the forest to spend his last days. Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī, Kuntī, Vidura and Śakuni went to the forest. The Pāṇḍavas tried in vain to prevent them from going. When Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī, Kuntī, Vidura, Sañjaya and others started for the forest, even Bhīmasena cried aloud. Pāṇḍavas and the people of the city went along with them up to the river Ganges. On the bank of the Ganges near the hermitage of Śatayūpa, a hermitage was erected and Vidura and the others lived there.

They lived there for nearly six years. The Pāṇḍavas be- came unable to bear the separation from their elders. Once Dharmaputra dreamt about his mother. Next day the Pāṇḍavas went to the banks of the Ganges. Pāñcālī, Subhadrā, Uttarā and many people of the city followed them. They went to the Śatayūpa-hermitage and saw Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the others. But the great Vidura was not there. When asked about it he got the reply that having become abstemious and having no more desires he was wandering about. Yudhiṣṭhira was greatly troubled.

Next day at dawn when Yudhiṣṭhira went to bathe in the Ganges, on the way he saw Vidura sitting in contem- plation with a stone in his mouth. Yudhiṣṭhira stood with joined palms before the lean and weak form of that sage and said “Look, Dharmaputra bows before you.” He repeated this several times. But there was no change in Vidura. Yudhiṣṭhira's disappointment did not last long. For, in a short while Dharmaputra saw that a divine radiance emanated from the body of Vidura and passed on to his body and that the body of Vidura fell lifeless on the ground. This union took place because both Vidura and Yudhiṣṭhira were port- ions of Dharmadeva. After this Dharmaputra made preparations to burn the body of Vidura. Then an ethe- real voice said “Vidura is abstemious. His body should not be burned.” Dharmaputra went to the hermitage and informed all, about the death of Vidura. (M.B. Āśramavāsika Parva, Chapters 26 to 28).

Mention is made in Mahābhārata, Svargārohaṇa Parva, Chapter 5, Stanza 22, that Vidura entered Svarga (heaven) and stays there in the form of Dharmadeva.


_______________________________
*1st word in left half of page 848 (+offset) in original book.

VIDURA II : A Kṣatriya who lived in Pāñcāla. The story of this Vidura, who had killed a Brahmin because of his want, is given in Padma Purāṇa, Bhūmikhanḍa, Chapter 91. The story is given below:

Long ago there lived a Kṣatriya, named Vidura, in Pāñcāla. Because of penury he killed a Brahmin. After that the Kṣatriya discarded his lock of hair and Brahma- string and went to every house saying “Look, here am I, a slayer of Brahmin. Please, give alms to the drunk- ard and killer of a Brahmin.” Saying thus he walked from house to house and took alms. But he did not get remission of Brahmahatyā (killing of a Brahmin).

Filled with grief and sorrow and mental worry the sinner Vidura sat in the shade of a tree. At that time Candraśarmā, a Brahmin of Magadha came there. He was a wicked man who had killed his teacher because of inordinate lust in consequence of which he had been forsaken by his own people. Vidura asked Candraśarmā who wore no sign of a Brāhmaṇa, what he was. Candra- śarmā told his story to Vidura who in return told him his sinful acts.

At this time another Brahmin named Vedaśarmā came there. He also was a sinner. The three of them told each other about their sinful acts. At this time Vallāla, a Vaiśya came there. He was a drunkard who had killed cows. These four desperate sinners travelled together and visited several tīrthas (holy baths). But they did not get remission of their sins. At last they started for Kālañjaragiri.

While these desperate sinners were living in Kālañjara a poor Brahmin came there. He asked them why they were so sad. They told him everything. When he heard their stories he felt pity for them. The old Brahmin said “You sinners should go to Prayāga, Puṣkara, Sarvatīrtha and Vārāṇasī and bathe in the Gaṅgā on New Moon days and you will become free from sin.” They obeyed the old Brahmin and went to the holy places told by him. Thus Vidura and his friends became sinless.


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*1st word in right half of page 849 (+offset) in original book.