at a distance. He had matted locks on his head,
and gravels in his mouth, and was exceedingly emaciated.
He was perfectly naked. His body was besmeared
all over with filth, and with the dust of various
wild flowers. When Kshattri was beheld from a
distance, the fact was reported to Yudhishthira.
Vidura suddenly stopped, O king, casting his eyes
towards the retreat (and seeing it peopled by so many
individuals). King Yudhishthira pursued him alone,
as he ran and entered the deep forest, sometimes not
seen by the pursuer. He said aloud, ’O
Vidura, O Vidura, I am king Yudhishthira, thy favourite!’—Exclaiming
thus, Yudhishthira, with great exertion, followed
Vidura. That foremost of intelligent men, viz.,
Vidura, having reached a solitary spot in the forest,
stood still, leaning against a tree. He was exceedingly
emaciated. He retained only the shape of a human
being (all his characteristic features having totally
disappeared). Yudhishthira of great intelligence
recognised him, however, (in spite of such change).
Standing before him, Yudhishthira addressed him, saying,
’I am Yudhishthira!’ Indeed, worshipping
Vidura properly, Yudhishthira said these words in
the hearing of Vidura. Meanwhile Vidura eyed the
king with a steadfast gaze. Casting his gaze
thus on the king, he stood motionless in Yoga.
Possessed of great intelligence, he then (by his Yoga-power)
entered the body of Yudhishthira, limb by limb.
He united his life-breaths with the king’s life-breaths,
and his senses with the king’s senses.
Verify, with the aid of Yoga-power, Vidura, blazing
with energy, thus entered the body of king Yudhishthira
the just. Meanwhile, the body of Vidura continued
to lean against the tree, with eyes fixed in a steadfast
gaze. The king soon saw that life had fled out
of it. At the same time, he felt that he himself
had become stronger than before and that he had acquired
many additional virtues and accomplishments.
Possessed of great learning and energy, O monarch,
Pandu’s son, king Yudhishthira the just, then
recollected his own state before his birth among men.[42]
Endued with mighty energy, he had heard of Yoga practice
from Vyasa. King Yudhishthira the just, possessed
of great learning, became desirous of doing the last
rites to the body of Vidura, and wished to cremate
it duly. An invisible voice was then heard,—saying,—’O
king, this body that belonged to him called Vidura
should not be cremated. In him is thy body also.
He is the eternal deity of Righteousness. Those
regions of felicity which are known by the name of
Santanika will be his, O Bharata. He was an observer
of the duties of Yatis. Thou shouldst not, O
scorcher of foes, grieve for him at all. Thus
addressed, king Yudhishthira the just, returned from
that spot, and represented everything unto the royal
son of Vichitraviryya. At this, that king of
great splendour, all these men, and Bhimasena and others,
became filled with wonder. Hearing what had happened,
king Dhritarashtra became pleased and then, addressing