The Mahabharata · 291 of 2097

Sabha Parva: Section 56

Vaisampayana said,--"King Dhritarashtra, ascertaining the inclinations of his son and knowing that Fate is inevitable, did what I have said. Vidura, however, that foremost of intelligent men, approved not his brother's words and spoke thus, 'I approve not, O king, of this command of thine. Do not act so. I fear, this will bring about the destruction of our race. When thy sons lose their unity, dissension will certainly ensue amongst them. This I apprehend, O king, from this match at dice.'

"Dhritarashtra said,--'If Fate be not hostile, this quarrel will not certainly grieve me. The whole universe moveth at the will of its Creator, under the controlling influence of Fate. It is not free. Therefore, O Vidura, going unto king Yudhishthira at my command, bring thou soon that invincible son of Kunti.'"

Context

Vidura goes to Khandavaprastha to deliver the invitation he himself opposes. Yudhishthira receives him and asks plainly: 'If we sit to a match at dice, we may quarrel. What man, knowing all this, will consent to play?' Vidura answers honestly: 'I know that gambling is the root of misery, and I strove to dissuade the king from it. The king, however, hath sent me here.' Notice the form. Vidura does not lie about his own opinion. He delivers the message and tells the truth of his counsel at the same time. The epic has a sustained interest in messengers who do this well. The other model is the priest Sanjaya, who in Udyoga delivers a message to the Pandavas while disagreeing with the king who sent him. Indian dharmasastra has a name for this stance: it is the daiva-niyukta dasya, the servitude appointed by divine necessity, in which one performs the office while withholding the assent.Sabha 57; cf. Manu-Smrti VII.63-67 on the duties of a dauta; Mahabharata Udyoga 28-30 (Sanjaya's parallel embassy); on Vidura's stance Hiltebeitel, Rethinking the Mahabharata ch. 5.