If only they listened to him!

 Vidura: The disregarded intellect

Background:

In the Dvapara Yuga, a sage named Mandavya was completely engrossed in meditation. He was so focused that he didn't notice people coming or going in his Ashrama, let alone the ants climbing up his legs and building hills. Upon taking royal jewels from a neighbouring country, a group of thieves decided to abandon them at Mandavya's ashram while fleeing from the guards, knowing they couldn't outrun the soldiers. The king's soldiers caught and jailed Mandavya, assuming he was the one responsible.

As a form of penalty, the king commanded for Mandavya's body to be nailed. Shortly after that, followers of the sage's ashram begged the king and proved the sage's innocence, prompting the king to realise his mistake and command the most skilled healers to treat the impaled Rishi. Although medics tried several times, they were unable to take out four nails from his back. Mandava asked the deity of death, Dharmaraja/Yamaraja*, why he was in so much pain from the four nails, even though he had not done anything wrong and always followed Dharma*. Yamaraja remembered the time when Mandavya, in his toddler years, cruelly pinned butterflies with nails and therefore faced the repercussions of his actions. However, crimes committed by those of age below 12 should be exempted. Yamaraja overlooked this rule, causing Mandavya to be furious with the god of death.

He cursed the god of death, declaring that he would be born on earth as a Shudra's son and, even with his remarkable intellect and kingly traits, would never be able to govern. Due to this, Yamaraja was born as ‘Vidura’ into the royal lineage of Hastinapur as a result of being fathered by the great sage Ved Vyas, but from the womb of a palace maid.

The Pandavas, along with their wife Draupadi, had completed 12 years of exile and 1 year of hiding. It was now time for retribution. The time to seek vengeance against the disgraceful events that unfolded 13 years ago—a game of dice in which the five Pandavas had lost their kingdom; Draupadi's disrobing, which reflected the ill-doings of the Kauravas and ensured misfortune upon those who remained silent during a despicable act. A war had been declared, and each side was required to send peacemakers in order to explore the most minute possibilities to avoid confrontation on a battlefield. Krishna, chieftain of the Yadavas, was sent from the Pandava side to relay the conditions.

"All the Pandavas ask for, King Dhritarashtra and Crown Prince Duryodhan, are five villages to govern independently—just five!" said Krishna, though, completely aware that even this justified proposal would be turned down by the foolish and violent Duryodhan. And as destiny were to present, "No," shouted the crown prince, unwilling to even let go of five tiny villages to his cousin brothers.

But before he could demean his cousins further, a strong voice from behind confronted Duryodhan's ego. "Think again, foolish prince! What you decline is a boon from God almighty to prevent your death on a battlefield." This was Vidura—prime minister of the kingdom of Hastinapur and uncle to the Pandavas and Kauravas. 

A man of great intellect, wisdom, and righteous principles, Vidura was fully aware that the peacemaker sent by his righteous nephews (Pandavas) was none other than God himself. But his advice was never considered, for it was his misfortune and a curse that rendered his words useless to his kin.

Duryodhan ignored his uncle's warning, humiliating Lord Krishna in the courtroom and ensuring a war that would take place within the next few months.

This wasn't the only time Vidura was ignored. During Draupadi's disrobing, Vidura pleaded with Duryodhan to stop the humiliation of a woman. He, along with another Kaurava prince, Vikarna, were the only few to condemn the act and speak against it. 

Feeling miserable and gutted that his advice was never even considered by his family, Vidura lamented on his fate. During the course of the bloody war, Vidura was always anxious, for he would only receive news of the deaths of his family members; however, he was joyous at the fact that the war was won by the righteous side. 

As the curse had been fulfilled, it was now time for Vidura to let go of his physical body and transform into his celestial self— Yamaraja. The God of death, even in human form, had failed to successfully ensure justice and righteousness on earth—a testament that as the cycle of the world progressed (*Yugas), humans became more ignorant and wicked. It was now time for Yamaraja to govern justice in the realm of death, where one's deeds could not escape, unlike on earth.

From a young age, we are only acquainted with more popular characters of the Mahabharata, such as Arjuna, Karna, Duryodhan, Kunti, e.t.c., but Vidura's character and story teach us that listening is at times more fruitful than speaking, and even if your voice is never heard, do not remain silent against unrighteousness!

* Yamaraj:  Hindu deity of justice and death, and the spiritual father of Yudhisthira.

* Dharma: A Hindu concept that comprises of morality, righteousness and duty.