Vidura

Vidura

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Vidura (Sanskrit: विदुर, Vidūra) was an important figure in the Mahabharata, a major Hindu epic. He was half-brother to the kings Dhritarashtra and Pandu of Hastinapura, born the son of the sage Vyasa and a lady-in-waiting to the queens Ambika and Ambalika of the city. By some accounts, he was an incarnation of the god of death and justice Yama Dharma Raja, who had been cursed by the sage Mandavya for punishing the latter more harshly than his transgression warranted.

Both Ambika and Ambalika were wives of King Vichitraviryaof Hastinapura, who, however, died childless. Anxious to ensure the continuation of the royal lineage, Vichitravirya's mother Satyavati called another of her sons, the ascetic Vyasa (born through Sage Parashara), to bestow motherhood upon the two queens by mating. Vyasa, as a hermit practising severe austerities, was unpleasant and even fearsome in appearance, so much so that Ambika shut her eyes tight when she saw him, and her sister Ambalika went pale with fear. As a result, the sons they bore were respectively the blind Dhritarashtra, and the sickly albino Pandu, neither of whom qualified to become kings.

Thereafter, Satyavati asked Vyasa to grant a son to Ambalika, to ensure that at least one of the boys born would be eligible in all respects. However Ambalika sent the lady-in-waiting to Vyasa, resulting the birth of Vidura. This dutiful lady not being frightened by Vyasa appearance had a normal healthy son born to her. Thus Vidura was born. He was raised and educated by Bhishma as the half-brother of Dhritarashtra and Pandu. However, since neither of his parents was of the blood royal, he was made counsellor to his brothers, the kings, rather than a king himself. Upon the blind Dhritarashtra's succession, he took on the reins of government for all practical purposes, guiding his brother's government until Duryodhana came of age, when he was consigned to a secondary role.

In some versions, it is believed that Vidura is elder to Dhritarashtra and Pandu, for when Bhishma asked Vidura for counsel on the marriages of the three princes, he indicated in order the brides for Vidura - a Yadava girl, Dhritharashtra - Gandhari and Pandu - Madri, in the order of precedence accorded by age. According to this version, Ambika initially sent a maid in her place out of fear of Vyasa, and the sage perceiving an act designed by Destiny for some greater purpose, blesses her with a son, making Vidura an incarnation of Dharma instead of the Mitra-Varuna pair. This event is considered to be a major transition from the Vedic to the Upanishad age. Contemporary translators, however have ignored this due to transcreations. Ambika later was persuaded to present herself to Vyasa, but turned pale and gave birth to Pandu, as recounted above.
Barring Krishna, Vidura was most respected as an advisor by the Pandavas whom he forewarned on various occasions of Duryodhana's plots to exterminate them, such as Duryodhana's plan to burn them alive in the Lakshagraha or "House of Lac". He was known for his statecraft and wisdom.

Krishna respected Vidura for his devotion to people's welfare, and his proficiency in every sphere of knowledge. When Krishna visited Hastinapura as a peace emissary of the Pandavas, he shunnedDuryodhana's offer to stay in the royal palace, preferring instead the home of Vidura, on account of his being the only neutral man in the Kaurava court. Vidura was the only person excepting the princeVikarna, a brother of Duryodhana, who protested against the humiliation of Draupadi in the Kauravacourt. According to Krishna, Vidura was considered as Dharmaraja, which means the lord of truth

In the Sanatsujatiya section of the Mahabharata, shortly before the Kurukshetra War began, Vidura invoked the sage Sanatsujata to answer Dhritarashtra's questions about death. In protest against theKurukshetra War, Vidura resigned from the post of minister. After the great battle, Yudhishthira appointed Vidura the prime minister with complete control of the government. However, following the carnage of the war and his own age, Vidura did not have the heart to govern. Soon after, he retired to the forests as an ascetic with Dhritarashtra, and his sisters-in-lawGandhari, and Kunti. He undertook severe penances, and was the first of the royal ascetics to die.

Vidura is considered as the Mahachohan in the Theosophical world. Mahachohan is said to be the chief of a Social Hierarchy of the trans-Himalayan mystics.[1] Viduraniti, or Vidura's Statecraft, narrated in the form of a dialogue between Vidura and King Dritrashtra, is considered the precursor in some ways of Chanakyaneeti. Vidura is held to be a paragon of truth, dutifulness, impartial judgement and steadfast dharma. He is considered the embodiment of the inner consciousness of the Mahabharata.

When he had reached manhood, Bhishma married him to Ambika and Ambalika, beautiful daughters of the king of Kasi Kashya. Vichitravirya loved his wives very much and was adored by them. But after seven years he fell ill of consumption and could not be healed despite the efforts of his friends and physicians.[2] Like his brother Chitrangada, he died childless. Subsequently, through a Niyoga relationship with his half-brother sage Vyasa, his wives and a maid gave birth to three children, namely Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura.[3]

https://www.quora.com/Who-was-Vidura-in-the-Mahabharata

In Mahabharata, Dhritrashtra was the son of Ambika and Vyas while Pandu was the son of Ambalika and Vyas. Vidur was the son of Parishrami, who was a dasi, and Vyas. In this way he was half-brother of Pandu and Dhritrashtra. In relation to Pandavas and Kauravas, he was their uncle. He was very intelligent and was one of the greatest intellectuals of that time. He had proficiency in Neeti-shastra i.e. ethics or deontology. So he was made Prime minister of the Kuru kingdom, that's why called Mahamantri Vidur.

In Mahabharata, he played a role where he always tried to guide his King Dhritrashtra in the light of his Neeti-gyan and many a times successfully prevented Hastinapur Rajya Sabha from taking wrong decisions. It was on his advice that Pandu being younger to Dhritrashtra was preferred over him as the King of Hastinapur. Moreover he was always against Duryodhan and was a staunch critic of Shakuni. At the same time, he always supported Pandavas and many a times protected them from Shakuni's conspiracies. He was also a devotee of Lord Krishna. At the onset of the Mahabharata war, he sided with the Pandavas.

Today, Vidura is considered as an idol of truth, dutifulness, impartial judgement and dharma.