29/07/2026
Vidura Neeti and Dharma.
In the Mahabharata, not only are there morals taught by Bheeshma, but also by Vidura. To relieve the world from suffering, Yama came as Vidura. Vidura is verily an aspect of Yama. There are many important morals (neetis) in Vidura Neeti.
No one should ever think, "Who needs moral principles and Dharma?" There are those who don’t listen to parents, who run after boys or girls, get deceived in love, falling for people on social media/Facebook etc and don't think about the moral implication. This is what is happening in this world today. That is why we should grow up with traditional values and should have a strick systematic upbringing.
We should protect our character. It's much more important than job, wealth, status etc. We should protect our character until we die. Whether it's boys or girls, we should protect our character and modesty. Even a small mistake taints our character. Drugs kill and ruin our reputation. Our character is our security. Protect it.
Don't run after someone just because they speak sweetly to you. Don't try drugs just as an experiment, not even a little. Life is not a movie. Our real life is different. So, never give up on morals. These should never be abandoned at any time. They must be practiced.
If we don't follow morals, we become like animals, and therefore future generations will be animals, not humans. So, we should bring up children carefully. After two generations, people depending on the internet will become living robots. We should not allow that to happen. If we follow rules, our children will too.
We should always follow Dharma.
This is because they are needed by every single person who lives within a society. In fact, society itself rests upon moral principles. These Dharmas teach a person proper discipline. They guide one along a proper path. So if these are not followed, one person turns another into an enemy. One destroys another! Where, then, would happiness exist? Only suffering would exist!
So, for society to remain good, moral principles must be practiced without fail.
Among the treatises on ethics (neetishastra), Vidura Neeti is the greatest. It strengthens both the mind and the body, and causes one to practice Dharma. In the end, it even leads to the realization ("darshan") of the Self (Atma). It was by not listening to such a Vidura Neeti that King Dhritarashtra, back then, brought great danger upon himself. Today, let us listen to it, practice it, and free ourselves from misfortunes.
The peace negotiations by Sri Krishna failed. War became certain between Kauravas and Pandavas. Sanjaya came to Dhritarashtra and said, "Maharaja! Tomorrow I will explain why the peace talks broke down," and he left. From that point on, our Maharaja (Dhritarashtra) broke out in a sweat all over his body. Fear gripped him. He understood that disaster was unavoidable. He could not sleep. He immediately clapped his hands, called a servant, and ordered, "Tell that Vidura to come."
Vidura came and bowed. Then Dhritarashtra said, "Vidura! Back then, I was unable to understand the words that Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) had spoken. Now that misfortune is upon me, I understand those words, and the thought of it is burning my body. I cannot sleep. Thoughout my body burns tell me whatever you think is good for me."
That Dhritarashtra had all kinds of comforts and pleasures. But because he would not give up his wicked intentions, the one thing he lacked was peace. Because of this, the fire called "worry" (chinta) was tormenting him greatly.
How terrible this "worry" is, is expressed thus: "Chitaa dahati nirjeevam chintaa jeevam dahatyaho" - the funeral pyre (chita) burns only one whose life has already left the body, but "worry" (chinta) burns a person while he is still alive. That is the power of "worry."
Worry is overpowering: "I didn't achieve my goal", "The boy (or girl) did not become mine", "I did not get this job". This burns a living being unlike the funeral pyre that burns the dead body.
Because of such a fire called "worry," King Dhritarashtra was suffering greatly. As soon as he asked to be told about Dharma, the great soul called Vidura began speaking. "O Maharaja! One who is intoxicated by power over another, one who has lost all his wealth, one who is consumed by desire, and a thief - none of these can sleep peacefully.
Desire doesn't let you sleep. The person only keeps seeing the girl in his mind. So, when we follow tradition, this misfortunes will not impact us. All of these apply to you. That much is natural. But I do not know for what other reason you are unable to sleep?" he said.
Hearing this question, King Dhritarashtra, irritated, said sharply, "I wanted to hear a few good words from your mouth, tell me those." When irritation arises, where does the mind stay settled? How can good words enter the intellect? Even so, the great soul Vidura, keeping the welfare of the world foremost in mind, imparted this teaching on ethics to us. It is very extensive. So let us grasp its main points.
We will need 10 days to talk about all of Vidura Neeti, so we'll discuss only the main points.
"O Maharaja! Only one who has good qualities, good aims, and follows Dharma becomes the best (uttama) among men. He becomes a good king. You lack the vision to recognize such good qualities. That is why you cannot see that Dharmaraja possesses these qualities. Only Duryodhana, who lacks them, is visible to you. That is why you have placed the entire burden of the kingdom into the hands of wicked, deceitful people (the dushta chatushtaya - the four wicked ones).
The wise always stay far away from wicked people. Those who have the quality of sattva (purity), who continually work righteously, who endure hardships, and who practice Dharma, are never deceived. They keep their minds under control and complete their tasks.
One who abandons his own Dharma and walks according to what others tell him, one who moves along a bad path together with friends, one who befriends enemies, one who creates enmity with the powerful - such a person is a fool. One who has no friends, one who always sees only faults in others, and one who offers good advice to those unworthy of it - such a person is heading toward ruin.
It is said that the unworthy one should not be taught the Bhagavad Gita. The one who teaches them incurs sin.
O Maharaja! One should never eat alone. Many hide from others and eat. One should never travel alone. When serious problems arise, one should not decide by oneself, alone. One should not make decisions alone. When everyone else is asleep, one should not be the only one awake.
"Do not sit in a corner and keep looking at your phone."
However much a person is provoked with cutting words, however much he is insulted, if he still endures it patiently, the world calls him incapable and calls him unfit. But such a person is not unfit. He is not incapable. One should understand that he is, in fact, capable. This is because there is no strength greater than patience (endurance).
Many are patient and others label him incompetent. But he's not. He has the great weapon of patience.
When thinking something over privately, one should not call in people of shallow intellect. One should not summon those who think only about that one matter obsessively, those who suddenly change their decisions, or those who merely flatter.
It is dangerous to become angry without proper timing or occasion. It is dangerous to make servants work without regard for their hardships and comforts. It is dangerous not to give servants wages and rewards suited to their effort. Such a ruler will not last long in his position; he will become filled with reproach.
In a vast open area, a single tree, even with strong roots, may grow tall. But when a single storm comes, it gets uprooted, roots and fall to the ground. That same tree, if standing amid other trees, will not bend or fall to the ground, no matter how strong the wind. One finger on the hand is not very strong. But two fingers have more strength, three even more. But all fingers together or both hands together are much stronger.
In the same way, all good people should stay united as one community. They should keep helping one another. Don't think you are a senior devotee and greater than others. Only then do good people have strength. Then their enemies can do nothing to them.
In this world, those who speak in ways that please the mind are easily found. But one who speaks good words out of genuine concern for our welfare is hard to find. And even if such a person is found, there is no one willing to listen.
One who speaks the truth as it is, whether good or bad, without abandoning Dharma, wishing only for good to happen - such a person is the best (uttama). One who does not listen to advice, one who does other tasks (contrary to instructions), and one who defiantly opposes with arrogance - such a person should be removed from his post immediately.
Among the strengths that a ruler must have, physical/military strength (bahubalam) is the first. One should not become arrogant relying only on this. The second strength is a good minister. The third strength is wealth. The fourth is the natural strength gained through one's lineage/relatives. But surpassing all of these is the strength of intellect (buddhi-balam). With this strength of intellect, all the other strengths must be carefully safeguarded.
The four goals of human life (purushaarthas) are dharma, artha (wealth), k**a (desire), and moksha (liberation). Of these, the two in the middle - "artha and k**a" - are what everyone is drawn to and clings to. But people are not holding on to dharma and moksha, which lie at the two ends. People think that happiness, contentment, and peace can be gained only through artha and k**a. This is a mistake. Whatever one clings to, without Dharma, will lead to ruin. So peace, happiness, and contentment are gained only along with Dharma and moksha.
When our sages spoke of the Purushaarthas, why did they mention Dharma first? It is because the other three depend entirely upon dharma. So if one holds firmly to Dharma alone, the remaining Purushaarthas will be attained.
So, O Maharaja, learn how Dharma should be practiced. Learn how wealth should be used righteously. Give up your delusion (moha). Strive to attain liberation (moksha). Have those whom you consider "your own" practice this as well. Then you, and your people, too, will be uplifted" - this is what he taught.
In this way, the great soul Vidura gave much more instruction besides this. Let us learn that instruction another time. If we, like elders, keep this teaching firmly in our minds and practice it without fail, we shall be blessed. The teaching given by the great soul Vidura will bear fruit. And that great soul, who was Yama Dharmaraja himself, will be greatly pleased and bestow his grace - this is what this story teaches.
Yama never hurts those who follow Vidura neeti. He becomes their friend. Everyone must listen to Vidura neeti. Swamiji has talked about this in Bhaktimala. Swamiji spoke about it in the Mahabharata too. This age needs Vidura Neti. This is the right time.
Yesterday and the day before we had a wonderful Bhajan session.
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Courtesy Avadootha Datta Peetham; Divya Nama Sankeertana • Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple, Frisco, TX, USA • 28 July 2026
