Vidura (Bidar)
“O King (Duryodhana), who should come to you? I have seen such reverence for Bidar (Vidura) that I admire that humble person. Against your milk, the water of Bidar is like ambrosia for me. His spinach equaled your milky food, and the night passed in singing the praises of the Lord…” (Mani Kabir, p. 1105).
“The persons of low caste attained higher status while remembering the Lord. Ask Bidar, the son of a maid-servant, in whose house Krishna stayed.” (Suhi M. 4, p. 733).
Vidura (or Bidar) was the half-brother of Dhritarashtra and Pandu.
When Satyavati, a young and beautiful girl, married Shantanu, his son Bhishma Pitamaha had already renounced his right to succession and had taken a vow of perpetual celibacy. Consequently, the sons of Satyavati were next in line to succeed to Shantanu’s throne. Satyavati bore two sons; one died young in battle, and the other, Vichitra-virya, ascended the throne. However, he too died young and without an heir. Before marrying Shantanu, Satyavati had borne Vyasa to the sage Parasara.
Thus, Vichitra-virya, Bhishma, and Vyasa were half-brothers, sharing the same mother. With the consent of Bhishma and Satyavati, the widows of Vichitra-virya, Ambika and Ambalika, bore two sons through niyoga (levirate marriage) with Vyasa: Dhritarashtra, who was blind, and Pandu, who had a pale complexion. Satyavati later asked Vyasa to father a third son free from defects. However, the widow of Vichitra-virya, frightened by Vyasa’s austere appearance, sent her slave girl dressed as herself. This slave girl became the mother of Vidura.
Thus, Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidura were half-brothers. Vidura was a great devotee of Krishna. In the first reference above, Krishna addresses King Duryodhana, expressing his love for his devotee Vidura, with whom he stayed. Vidura is one of the finest characters in the Mahabharata. He consistently provided wise counsel to both the Kauravas and Pandavas. Although he sided with the Kauravas during the war, he remained a well-wisher of the Pandavas.
References:
Kohli, Surindar Singh (Ed.), Dictionary of Mythological References in Guru Granth Sahib, 1993.
