Vidura Advises Dhritarashtra to Treat Pandavas Fairly

Dhritarashtra said: "Man is not the master of his destiny. He is like a wooden puppet dangling from a string. The creator has made him subject to destiny. Therefore, continue to speak. I am patiently listening to your words." Vidura had been speaking for some time already — warning, advising, trying to turn the king away from the path his son Duryodhana was dragging the kingdom toward. But Dhritarashtra's response was not an argument. It was a surrender. He was not defending his son's actions. He was declaring himself helpless before them. Fate had made him blind. Fate had made him a king. Fate had made his son what he was. What could anyone do? Vidura did not accept the premise. He told Dhritarashtra that even Brihaspati — the preceptor of the gods — seemed ignorant when he spoke at the wrong time. The point was not that wisdom was useless. The point was that wisdom had to be applied, and applied now, before the moment passed. He spoke about how people are loved or hated for reasons that have nothing to do with virtue. A loved man is credited with all pure deeds; a hated one is blamed for everything evil. This was not a complaint about human nature. It was a warning: Dhritarashtra's love for Duryodhana was making him blind to what his son actually was. "There is no loss," Vidura said, "if that loss brings on a gain. But that should be thought of as a loss, which having been gained, destroys much more." Some men are prosperous because of qualities. Others because they possess riches. Dhritarashtra should avoid those who are superior in riches but devoid of qualities. Dhritarashtra said: "All that you have said has been approved of by the wise and is for my welfare. But I cannot abandon my son. Where there is dharma, there is victory." He agreed with everything. And then he did nothing. Vidura pressed on. He described the kind of man who maligns others, who delights in others' unhappiness, who seeks to foment quarrels. Such a man will always jump at the opportunity. There is great sin in accepting riches from those who have evil in their sight, and great danger in giving riches to them. There is extremely great danger in dwelling with them. One should avoid association with the wicked entirely. He spoke about relatives — how they can rescue a man or make him sink. Those who follow good conduct rescue. Those who follow evil conduct make one sink. He urged Dhritarashtra to follow good conduct toward the Pandavas. Surrounded by them, the king would become unassailable before his enemies. "O lord of the earth! Be gracious towards the miserable Pandavas. Give them a few villages so that they can sustain themselves. By doing this, you will obtain fame in this world. You are aged. Your sons will be protected through this deed." He warned of what would come: "You will be tormented later on, when you hear that they or your sons have been slain. Reflect on this. Do not perform a deed that will make you ascend your bed and be tormented." He spoke about humility, which destroys bad conduct. Valour, which destroys adverse circumstances. Forgiveness, which always destroys anger. Good conduct, which destroys evil omens. He spoke about friendship — how one should desire friendship with those who are grateful, followers of dharma, truthful, firm, loyal, in control of their senses. How one should avoid those who are arrogant, stupid, fearsome, rash, and followers of adharma. He spoke about perseverance as the root of prosperity, destroying unhappiness and bringing happiness. He spoke about forgiveness: "There is nothing more glorious and more healing than an act of forgiveness by a powerful one, everywhere and at all times. A weak person must forgive everything. A strong person must do that for the sake of dharma." He spoke about the proper pursuit of happiness: "Follow happiness as long as it does not destroy dharma and artha (righteousness and prosperity). But one should not follow kama (desire), in accordance with the conduct of those who are foolish." And then he returned to the central problem: Duryodhana had committed evil acts. Dhritarashtra, as the elder of the lineage, had the power — and the duty — to remedy them. "If Duryodhana committed an evil act earlier, as the elder of the lineage, you must remedy it. Having established them in their stations, you will be freed from sins in this world." Dhritarashtra had already given his answer. He could not abandon his son. He had said it plainly, and he meant it. Vidura's words were heard. They were acknowledged as wise. They were not followed.