VIDURA

After the Kurukshetra war, Dhritharashtra and Gandhari lived under Yudhishtira's care for eighteen years. Then one day Dhritharashtra sent for Yudhishtira and told him that he and Gandhari would go to the forest for tapas (prayer and meditation). Yudhishtira had to agree.

When she came to know of this Kunthi also decided to accompany Gandhari and Dhritharashtra to the forest. Vidura also decided likewise. In spite of the entreaties and prayers of the Pandavas and Draupadi the four lefts for the forest. Those in the palace as well as the citizens bid them a respectful farewell.

Even after they went to the forest, the Pandavas constantly thought of them. Dhritharashtra and Gandhari were a blind old man and an old woman. Kunthi was also in the evening of life. She was not as strong as she was once. How could she look after the two old people? The Pandavas were troubled by thoughts of the difficulties they might be facing in the forest. When these thoughts troubled them very much they proceeded to visit their elders in the forest. A number of citizens accompanied them.

They found Kunthi, Gandhari and Dhritharashtra on the way from Dhritharashtra's ashram to the river. They all came to the ashram together. After inquiries about one another, Yudhishtira asked Dhritharashtra: where is Vidura? He is not to be seen." He replied: "Vidura is well. But he does not live with us. He lives all by himself and does severe tapas. He does not take any food. He fasts completely. He is run down very much. Occasionally he visits this place to look us up."