Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.4.24
स तं महाभागवतं व्रजन्तं कौरवर्षभ: ।
विश्रम्भादभ्यधत्तेदं मुख्यं कृष्णपरिग्रहे ॥ २४ ॥
sa taṁ mahā-bhāgavataṁ
[sa tam mahaa-bhaagavatam]
vrajantaṁ kauravarṣabhaḥ
[vrajantam kauravarshabhah]
viśrambhād abhyadhattedaṁ
[vishrambhaad abhyadhattedam]
mukhyaṁ kṛṣṇa-parigrahe
[mukhyam krishna-parigrahe]
Word-for-word
saḥ
—
Vidura
tam
—
unto Uddhava
mahā-bhāgavatam
—
the great devotee of the Lord
vrajantam
—
while going
kaurava-ṛṣabhaḥ
—
the best amongst the Kauravas
viśrambhāt
—
out of confidence
abhyadhatta
—
submitted
idam
—
this
mukhyam
—
unto the chief
kṛṣṇa
—
Lord Kṛṣṇa
parigrahe
—
in devotional service to the Lord.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa taṁ mahā-bhāgavataṁ
saḥ
Vidura
tam
unto Uddhava
mahā-bhāgavatam
the great devotee of the Lord
vrajantaṁ kauravarṣabhaḥ
vrajantam
while going
kaurava-ṛṣabhaḥ
the best amongst the Kauravas
viśrambhād abhyadhattedaṁ
viśrambhāt
out of confidence
abhyadhatta
submitted
idam
this
mukhyaṁ kṛṣṇa-parigrahe
mukhyam
unto the chief
kṛṣṇa
Lord Kṛṣṇa
parigrahe
in devotional service to the Lord.
While Uddhava, the chief and most confidential amongst the devotees of the Lord, was going away, Vidura, in affection and confidence, questioned him.
Purport
Vidura was much older than Uddhava. By family relationship Uddhava was a contemporary brother of Kṛṣṇa’s, while Vidura was as elderly as Kṛṣṇa’s father Vasudeva. But although junior by age, Uddhava was much advanced in the devotional service of the Lord, and therefore he is described herein as the chief amongst the devotees of the Lord. Vidura was confident about this, and thus he addressed Uddhava in that higher category. That is the way of courteous dealings between two devotees.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
The best of the Kurus, Vidura, then spoke out of great trust the following words to the great devotee Uddhava, principle recipient of Kṛṣṇa’s mercy, as Uddhava was about to leave.
Viśvrambhāt means out of trust. Though Uddhava was younger than himself, Uddhava controlled Kṛṣṇa (kṛṣṇa-parigrahe), and thus was superior to him (mukhyam). Thus a younger person, superior in bhakti, should be the guru for someone elder. Vidura’s words are the proof of this.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
An older devotee may humbly defer to a junior more advanced in devotion. Years do not equal advancement; sadhana does. Speak to fellow devotees in terms of where they actually are, not where age would place them.
Reflection Questions
- Whom younger than you should you be deferring to in spiritual matters?
- Where has age become a reason for you to assume seniority you have not actually earned?
My note
Source: vedabase.io