Vidura

nāhaṁ kāmān na saṁrambhān na dveṣān nārtha-kāraṇāt

nāhaṁ kāmān na saṁrambhān na dveṣān nārtha-kāraṇāt |
na hetuvādāl lobhād vā dharmaṁ jahyāṁ kathañcana ||
saṁprīti-bhojyāny annāni āpad-bhojyāni vā punaḥ |
na ca saṁprīyase rājan na cāpy āpad-gatā vayam ||
akasmād dviṣase rājañ janma-prabhṛti pāṇḍavān |
priyānuvartino bhrātṝn sarvaiḥ samuditān guṇaiḥ ||
akasmāc caiva pārthānāṁ dveṣaṇaṁ nopapadyate |
dharme sthitāḥ pāṇḍaveyāḥ kas tān kiṁ vaktum arhati ||
yas tān dveṣṭi sa māṁ dveṣṭi yas tān anu sa mām anu |
aikātmyaṁ māṁ gataṁ viddhi pāṇḍavair dharma-cāribhiḥ ||
kāma-krodhānuvartī hi yo mohād virurutsati |
guṇavantaṁ ca yo dveṣṭi tam āhuḥ puruṣādhamam ||
yaḥ kalyāṇa-guṇāñ jñātīn mohāl lobhād didṛkṣate |
so’jitātmājita-krodho na ciraṁ tiṣṭhati śriyām ||
atha yo guṇa-sampannān hṛdayasyāpriyān api |
priyeṇa kurute vaśyāṁś ciraṁ yaśasi tiṣṭhati ||
sarvam etan na bhoktavyam annaṁ duṣṭābhisaṁhitam |
kṣattur ekasya bhoktavyam iti me dhīyate matiḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 5.89.24–32)

“Neither out of desire, nor out of anger, nor out of enmity, nor for the sake of wealth (artha), nor because of a dispute, nor out of greed shall I ever forsake dharma. Foods are to be eaten out of affection or to be eaten [when] in distress. Neither are you affectionate, O King, nor are we beset with distress [and thus we will not accept your offering of foods]. O King, without cause, you hate the Pāṇḍavas, your brothers, who, since birth, have been amiable, compliant, and endowed with all virtues. Furthermore, hatred of the Pāṇḍavas without cause is not right. Who can say what against them—the Pāṇḍavas—who are fixed in dharma? One who hates them hates me. One who is with them is with me. Know me to be possessed of oneness of heart with the Pāṇḍavas, who are adherent to dharma. They say one who, acquiescing to desire (kāma) and anger out of delusion, hates and contends with a person endowed with virtue is the lowest of human beings. One of uncontrolled mind and uncontrolled anger who out of delusion and greed wishes to see relatives endowed with auspicious qualities does not remain in prosperity for long. Alternately, one who with kindness captivates even those endowed with virtue who are not dear to one’s heart long remains in eminence. All this food beset with sin is not fit to be eaten. The lone kṣattṛ’s [food] is fit to be eaten—this my judgement determines [to be the right course of action].”

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vyādhasyācaraṇaṁ dhruvasya ca vayo vidyā gajendrasya kā

vyādhasyācaraṇaṁ dhruvasya ca vayo vidyā gajendrasya kā
kubjāyāḥ kim u nāma rūpam adhikaṁ kiṁ tat sudāmno dhanam |
vaṁśaḥ ko vidurasya yādava-pater ugrasya kiṁ pauruṣaṁ
bhaktyā tuṣyati kevalaṁ na ca guṇair bhakti-priyo mādhavaḥ ||
(An unidentified south kavi; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.593; Padyāvalī: 8)

“Did the hunter have good conduct?
Did Dhruva have age?
Did Gajendra have knowledge?
Did Kubjā have special beauty?
Did Sudāmā have wealth?
Did Vidura have a noble lineage?
Did the King of the Yadus, Ugrasena, have valor?
He whose pleasure is bhakti,
Mādhava,
Is satisfied only by bhakti,
And not by qualities [such as those aforementioned].”

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na hṛṣyaty ātma-sammāne nāvamānena tapyate

na hṛṣyaty ātma-sammāne nāvamānena tapyate |
gāṅgo hrada ivākṣobhyo yaḥ sa paṇḍita ucyate ||
(Mahābhārata: Udyoga-parva, Vidura-nīti, 27)

“One who does not delight in praise of oneself, is not troubled by dishonor, and is imperturbable like a lagoon on the Gaṅgā is said to be a wise person (paṇḍita).”

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yā prītir vidurārpite mura-ripo kunty-arpite yādṛśī

yā prītir vidurārpite mura-ripo kunty-arpite yādṛśī
yā govardhana-mūrdhni yā ca pṛthuke stanye yaśodārpite |
bhāradvāja-samarpite śabarikā-datte’dhare yoṣitāṁ
yā vā te muni-bhāminī-vinihite’nne’trāpi tām arpaya ||
(Unknown author; cited in Padyāvalī: 117)

“O Enemy of Mura,
The pleasure which you took
In the offering of Vidura,
The offering of Kuntī,
[The fruits, roots, and so forth offered by] The peak of Govardhana,
The abundant breastmilk offered by Yaśodā,
The grand offering of Bhāradvāja,
The offering of the Śabara’s daughter,
The lips of the women [of Vraja],
And the offering of the wives of the sages [i.e., the Vedic brāhmaṇas of Vraja]—
May you take that [type of pleasure] in the food [being offered] here too.”

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dvija-strīṇāṁ bhakte mṛduni vidurānne vraja-gavāṁ

dvija-strīṇāṁ bhakte mṛduni vidurānne vraja-gavāṁ
dadhi-kṣīre sakhyuḥ sphuṭa-cipiṭa-mṛṣṭau mura-ripo |
yaśodāyāḥ stanye vraja-yuvati-datte madhuni te
yathāsīd āmodas tam ayam upahāre’pi kurutām ||
(Attributed to Śrī Rāmānuja; cited in Padyāvalī: 116)

“O Enemy of Mura,
As you delighted in the food of the brāhmaṇa’s wives,
The meager meal from Vidura,
The yoghurt and milk of the cows of Vraja,
The handful of broken, flat rice from your friend [i.e., Sudāmā],
The breastmilk of Yaśodā,
And the sweets offered by the young girls of Vraja,
So may you do so [i.e., may you delight]
In this offering as well.”

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sā śraddadhānasya vivardhamānā

sā śraddadhānasya vivardhamānā
viraktim anyatra karoti puṁsaḥ |
hareḥ padānusmṛti-nirvṛtasya
samasta-duḥkhāpyayam āśu dhatte ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.5.13)

“That [i.e., inclination (mati), meaning, taste, for discussion of Hari], upon flourishing, produces disinterest for all else in a person endowed with śraddhā. The dissolution of all suffering of one who is delighted by continuous remembrance of Hari’s feet is quickly effected.”

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