Jai Sriman Narayana !!
The great epic Mahabharath was composed by
Maharishi Veda Vyasa/Krishna Dwaipayana, son of Sage Parasara and Sathyavati, a
woman from fishermen clan. Mahabharath describes the legend of Bharatha
Dynasty. It was written in 18 Parva such as Adhi Parva,
Sabha Parva, Vana Parva, Virada Parva, Udhyoga Parva, Bhishma Parva, Drona
Parva, Karna Parva, Shalya Parva, Soupthika Parva, Stri Parva, Shanthi Parva,
Anushasana Parva, Ashwamedha Parva, Ashramavasika Parva, Musala Parva,
Mahaprasthanika Parva and Swargarohana Parva and each Parva has divided into
many Upaparva and has chapters in detail. Adhi Parva depicts
the life of King Dushyantha and his wife Shakunthala and their son
Sarvadhamanan, who was famously known as Bharatha, a righteous ruler of
Bharatha Empior.
Lord Brahma created deities, Sages and
Prajapathis. It was the beginning of the growth of human race from the
sixty daughters of Daksha Prajapathi. Pururavass, Yayathi,
Puru, Dushyantha, Bharatha, Shanthanu were born in the family of
Dithi, one of the daughters of Daksha Prajapathi.
Birth of Drutharashtra, Pandu & Vidur:
Ambika and Ambilika were married to
Vichithraveerya, who was seriously ill due to his desecrated behavior;
therefore he was incapable to perform any of the royal affairs, eventually he
passed away without providing any legal heir to the throne of
Hasthinapur. Once again, Sathyavati and Bhishma were horrified at the ill-fated
incident and the thought of Hasthinapur will crumple without its ruler.
After a series of thought, it was decided that the widows of Vichithraveerya
would be able to have children on a source called ‘ Niyoga’ from Maharishi Veda
Vyasa, the children born would be treated as the son of Vichithraveerya and
legal heir to the throne. There was a custom prevailed in those
days that the childless widows of royal family can have child from a Brahmin or
any deities in order to protect the Kingdom and its people.
Maharishi Veda Vyasa appeared before his mother Sathyavati as promised earlier
to be ever present whenever remembered. After listening to his mother,
Maharishi Veda Vyasa immersed in a deep thought, Ambika and Ambalika are
princess, their desires and expectation will be entirely different from an
ascetic, a forest dweller. It’s necessary to have union of souls with
identical desire and attitude for the couple to have a virtuous
offspring. Maharishi Veda Vyasa approached Ambika, but she was
horror-struck seeing an old ascetic and closed her eyes in extreme dislike
during their physical relationship. Thus, the child born to this couple
was Drutharashtra, a blind. Shortly, Maharishi Vyasa approached
Ambalika, she turned out pale seeing her partner and the child born was
Pandu. There was a maid servant in the palace received Maharishi Veda
Vyasa with utmost reverence, Maharishi was pleased at her hospitality and
blessed her with a virtuous and most intelligent child Vidura, an incarnation
of Dharmarajan. Years passed by the three children were grown into
charming young adults. Drutharashtra was attractive with great
physical features and possessed immense strength, he was exceptionally skilled
in Astra & Sastra and over ambitious. His irresistible
desire to be crowned as the Emperor of Hasthinapur has driven him arrogant and
frustrated. Pandu was also equally possessed amazing skills in Astra
& Sastra, he was extraordinarily calm and amicable in nature, and he had
great respect and love towards his brother Drutharashtra.
Vidura was always treated as inferior as he was born to a maid
servant in the palace. He was possessed all the virtues and had profound
knowledge in Dharma Sastra. Years later, Vidura became the chief in the
Ministry of Hasthinapur, determined to reinstate righteousness throughout the
great epic.
Previous birth of Vidura :
Sage Mandavya underwent severe austerities and
attained remarkable status. Once, the sage was immersed in deep
meditation on the river banks. Suddenly, there were a few thieves
appeared on the scene were chased by the army of King. The thieves were
helpless; they hurriedly put down their baggages contained the stolen items
near the Sage and vanished. The army men reached the spot where Sage
Mandavya was absorbed in meditation and found the baggage of stolen
items. They mistook the Sage as the thief and punished him
ruthlessly. They pierced his body with the trident but nothing had
happened to Sage Mandavya with his severe austerities. This incident was
duly informed to the King who was ruled this city; he rushed to the spot to
witness the Sage and begged for forgiveness, eventually released Sage Mandavya
from the tip of the trident. Sage Mandavya was furious at the above
happening; he was furious about his ill fate and was fuming against Lord
Yama/Dharmarajan who is responsible to punish his subjects according to their
Karma. Sage Mandavya rushed to Dharmarajan and engaged in a serious
debate, questioned him was that fair handling to a person who lived in the
constant memories of Lord and searching for salvation. Dharmarajan
narrated the childhood pranks of Sage Mandavya, it was his fun activities to
kill the flies with sharp nails, and therefore the pains caused to the flies
brought the same bad luck to him. Sage Mandavya was not satisfied with
the justification given by Dharmarajan and refused to accept, childhood pranks
should not be included to declare punishment and those are unacceptable.
In a rage Sage Mandavya cursed Dharmarajan to be born on Earth and undergo the
agonies and sorrows. Thus, Dharmarajan was born as Vidura to
Maharishi Veda Vyasa and the maid servant in the palace of Hasthinapur.
Vidura makes every effort to reinstate righteousness throughout the great epic
Mahabharath.
Jai Sriman Narayana !!
