Summoning Sanatha

Dhritrashtra wants more

Vidura chided Dhritrashtra and told him that had he followed the principles of dharma, he would not have had to spend a sleepless night listening to his sermon. But even as Vidura explained the various concepts, with intermittent admonishments to Dhritrashtra, the blind king felt the need to know more.

Whether this need to know more about death and the bramhan was inspired by true quest of knowledge or from the fear of the impending death of his 100 sons or if Vidura’s night- long sermon had a brief influence on his mind, we do not know. But knowing Dhritrashtra, the powerless puppet ruler, ‘idle curiosity’ seems to be the most likely reason.

He asked Vidura to continue to talk to him about spirituality.

Vidura plays the caste card

Vidura refused to speak on this topic claiming that he was ineligible to do so, for he was a ‘shudra’, the son of a maid. He announced that his capacity as a minister allowed him the freedom to speak about the ways of the world, but only a learned brahmin could speak to a kshatriya about such spiritual matters.

Vidura had the wisdom to answer all of Dhritrashtra’s questions but chose not to.

The name of Sanatha Kumara came up, but Dhritrashtra expressed his inability to summon the learned one. He requested Vidura to summon him, and Vidura asked him, tongue-in-cheek, “Do you need a shudra to summon the eternal brahmin?” and then prayed to Sanatha Kumara.

It must be noted that Sanatha Kumara or Sanatha Sujatha as he is referred to in the Mahabhaaratha, was equal to Indra and belonged to the eighth kaksha or level in the taaratamya. Vidura who was Yama himself was marginally lower, in the twelfth kaksha. Dhritrashtra who was a Gandharva, was way lower in the taaratamya and it was indeed true that he could not have summoned Sanatha Sujatha, as he did not possess the yogyathe (capability).

Sanatha Sujatha

Sanatha Sujatha is forever young and appears as a young boy of around eight years. He along with three others, Sanaka, Sanatana and Sanandana are collectively called the Kumaras. Among the Kumaras, Sanatha Kumara holds the highest position. He is considered as the supreme rishi superior to even Brihaspathi, the preceptor of the devathes.

Sanatha Kumara is the spiritual son of Bramha, and also the son of Naarayana as Pradyumna and the son of Shiva as Skanda. He represents the three facets that exist within all of us – as Sanatha Kumara (the eternal Brahmin), he is the embodiment of spirituality and self-control. As Pradyumna (the God of love), he creates distractions to the seeker, and as Skanda (heading the army of the devathes) he destroys those who obstruct righteousness.

Sanathsujatheeya

Appearing in the chambers of Dhritrashtra, honouring the invitation of Vidura, Sanatha Sujatha answered the questions that Dhritrashtra posed to him.

Known as Sanathsujatheeya, these questions and answers form a small interlude of about 200 verses, in the Mahabhaaratha, containing the wisdom of the Upanishads.

Concluded