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7.VIDURA
Sages who lived in other parts of the forest came to his
hermitage and asked Mandavya how he
came to be in that terrible pass.
Mandavya replied: "Whom shall I blame?
The servants of the king, who protect the
world, have inflicted this punishment."
The king was surprised and frightened
when he heard that the impaled sage was
still alive and that he was surrounded by
the other sages of the forest. He hastened
to the forest with his attendants and at
once ordered the sage to be taken down
from the spear. Then he prostrated at his
feet and prayed humbly to be forgiven for
the offence unwittingly committed.
Mandavya was not angry with the king.
He went straight to Dharma, the divine
dispenser of justice, who was seated on
his throne, and asked him: "What crime
have I committed to deserve this torture?"
Lord Dharma, who knew the great power
of the sage, replied in all humility: "O
sage, you have tortured birds and bees.
Are you not aware that all deeds, good or
bad, however small, inevitably produce
their results, good or evil?"
Mandavya was surprised at this reply of
Lord Dharma and asked: "When did I
commit this offence?"
Lord Dharma replied: "When you were a
child."
Mandavya then pronounced a curse on
Dharma: "This punishment you have
decreed is far in excess of the deserts of a
mistake committed by a child in
ignorance. Be born, therefore, as a mortal
in the world."
Lord Dharma who was thus cursed by the
sage Mandavya incarnated as Vidura and
was born of the servant-maid of
Ambalika, the wife of Vichitravirya.
This story is intended to show that Vidura
was the incarnation of Dharma. The great
men of the world regarded Vidura as a
mahatma who was unparalleled in his
knowledge of dharma, sastras and
statesmanship and was totally devoid of
attachment and anger. Bhishma appointed
him, while he was still in his teens, as the
chief counsellor of king Dhritarashtra.
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