Devotees are special to Him

Krishna says that He has a special place in His heart for His

devotees at all times. The third Skanda of the Bhagavata

Purana unfolds a situation where this truth is experienced

individually by three staunch devotees Uddhava, Maitreya

and Vidhura, pointed out Sri M.V.Anantapadmanabhachariar in a discourse.


Vidhura is a great devotee whose humble hospitality

Krishna had accepted in preference to the royal treatment of Duryodhana during His mission as a messenger of the

Pandavas. But Vidhura’s wisdom and adherence to the path

of dharma are mismatched in the atmosphere of wickedness

and adharma prevailing in the Kaurava court. Duryodhana

banishes Vidhura from Hastinapura and so he undertakes a

pilgrimage to holy places in the spirit of a true renunciate.

In the course of his wanderings he meets Uddhava on the

banks of the Yamuna and enquires about all his relatives and about Krishna. Uddhava is in the grip of surging emotions as he recalls in his mind the long standing relationship with Krishna and of His boundless compassion towards His devotees. Uddhava tells Vidhura that Krishna had advised him to proceed to Badrikashrama to do penance and that he was on his way. Uddhava then relates the happenings of the Mahabharata war, the crowning of Yudhishtira, the destruction of the Yadu clan and of the poignant scene of the Lord reclining against an Aswatha tree and awaiting the time of departure. Uddhava tells Vidhura that at that time Maitreya, the illustrious disciple of Parasara, was also present. He also tells him that Krishna had remembered Vidhura specifically and mentioned that he should be informed of His departure and that he should receive esoteric and spiritual instruction from Maitreya.



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