FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.13.21

पितृभ्रातृसुहृत्पुत्रा हतास्ते विगतं वयम् । आत्मा च जरया ग्रस्त: परगेहमुपाससे ॥ २१ ॥
pitṛ-bhrātṛ-suhṛt-putrā
[pitri-bhraatri-suhrit-putraa]
hatās te vigataṁ vayam
[hataas te vigatam vayam]
ātmā ca jarayā grastaḥ
[aatmaa cha jarayaa grastah]
para-geham upāsase
[para-geham upaasase]
pitṛ — father bhrātṛ — brother suhṛt — well-wishers putrāḥ — sons hatāḥ — all dead te — yours vigatam — expended vayam — age ātmā — the body ca — also jarayā — by invalidity grastaḥ — overcome para-geham — another’s home upāsase — you do live.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
pitṛ-bhrātṛ-suhṛt-putrā
pitṛ
father
bhrātṛ
brother
suhṛt
well-wishers
putrāḥ
sons
hatās te vigataṁ vayam
hatāḥ
all dead
te
yours
vigatam
expended
vayam
age
ātmā ca jarayā grastaḥ
ātmā
the body
ca
also
jarayā
by invalidity
grastaḥ
overcome
para-geham upāsase
para-geham
another’s home
upāsase
you do live.
Your father, brother, well-wishers and sons are all dead and passed away. You yourself have expended the major portion of your life, your body is now overtaken by invalidity, and you are living in the home of another.

The King is reminded of his precarious condition, influenced by cruel time, and by his past experience he should have been more intelligent to see what was going to happen to his own life. His father, Vicitravīrya, died long ago, when he and his younger brothers were all little children, and it was due to the care and kindness of Bhīṣmadeva that they were properly brought up. Then again his brother Pāṇḍu died also. Then in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra his one hundred sons and his grandsons all died, along with all other well-wishers like Bhīṣmadeva, Droṇācārya, Karṇa and many other kings and friends. So he had lost all men and money, and now he was living at the mercy of his nephew, whom he had put into troubles of various types. And despite all these reverses, he thought that he would prolong his life more and more. Vidura wanted to point out to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that everyone has to protect himself by his action and the grace of the Lord. One has to execute his duty faithfully, depending for the result on the supreme authority. No friend, no children, no father, no brother, no state and no one else can protect a person who is not protected by the Supreme Lord. One should, therefore, seek the protection of the Supreme Lord, for the human form of life is meant for seeking that protection. Dhṛtarāṣṭra was warned of his precarious conditions more and more by the following words.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Your father, brothers, friends, and sons have been killed. Youth has departed. The body is afflicted by old age. You are living in another person’s house.
Commentary

In seven verses Vidura teaches renunciation.

Your father, brother, well-wishers, sons — all dead. You have spent the major part of your life, your body is invalid, you are living in another's home. The naming of facts breaks denial. Truth is the first medicine.
Reflection Questions
  • What facts of my present have I been refusing to name?
  • Where would simple, blunt naming open a path forward?
📝 My note

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