SANATSUGÂTÎYA.

p. 149

Dhritarâshtra said:

If, O Vidura! there is anything not (yet) said by you in (your) discourse, then do impart it to me who wish to hear, for you have spoken marvellous (things).

Vidura said:

O Dhritarâshtra! the ancient youth Sanatsugâta, (otherwise called) Sanâtana ¹, who declared that death exists not--he, O descendant of Bharata! the best of all talented men, will explain all the doubts of your mind, both those (which are) secret ², and those openly declared.

Dhritarâshtra said:

What, do you not yourself know more about this (subject), that Sanâtana should explain (it) to me? Explain (it) yourself, O Vidura! if there is any remnant of intelligence (left) in you.

p. 150

Vidura said:

1 am born of a Sûdra womb, and do not like to say more than what (I have said). But the intelligence of that youth, I believe to be eternal ¹. He who has come of a Brâhmana womb, even though he may proclaim a great mystery, does not thereby become liable to the censure of the gods. Therefore do I say this to you.

Dhritarâshtra said:

Do you, O Vidura! speak to the ancient Sanâtana for me, so that there may be a meeting even here, between (myself in) this body (and him).

Vaisampâyana ² said:

(Then) Vidura meditated on that sage whose vows are laudable ³. And he, too, O descendant of Bharata! knowing of such meditation, made his appearance. And he ⁴, too, received him with the ceremonies prescribed in the ordinances. After he had been comfortably seated, and had taken rest, Vidura then spoke to him: 'Venerable sir! there is some doubt in Dhritarâshtra's mind, which cannot

p. 151

be explained by me. Do you be pleased to explain (it) to him. Hearing it (explained), this lord of men may cross beyond all misery, so that gain and loss 1, (what is) agreeable and (what is) odious, old age and death, fear and vindictiveness, hunger and thirst, frenzy and worldly greatness, disgust and also laziness, desire and wrath, ruin and prosperity, may not trouble him.'

Footnotes

149:1 So Nîlakantha. Sankara says Sanatsugâta is Sanatkumâra, and the component parts of the name he paraphrases by 'born from Brahman.' For Sanâtana, see Brihadâranyaka, p. 506, and note  1, p. 141 supra.

149:2 I. e. relating to subjects which may be freely discussed by all, and those which may not. Nîlakantha adopts a different reading, which he interprets to mean 'doctrines exoteric and esoteric,' e. g. self-restraint, &c., and the acquisition of mystic power, &c., respectively. The expression 'doubts of the mind' occurs. however, further on.

150:1 I. e., I suppose, never-failing, and such as can deal with all sorts of topics. Sanatkumâra, it need scarcely be stated, is the teacher of Nârada in the famous dialogue in the Khândogyopanishad, p. 473.

150:2 Vaisampâyana is the narrator of the grand story of which pieces like the present form parts.

150:3 The reading is sometimes different, so as to mean 'of rigid vows,' as at Gîtâ, p. 61 supra.

150:4 The pronouns here are too numerous. Does 'he' here refer to Dhritarâshtra? Vidura seems more likely, though the express mention of him in the next sentence might be treated as pointing the other way.