Vidura Merged with Yudhishthira!(Ashramavasika Parva - Mahabharata)

Vaishampayana continued his narration —

Years passed, and the Pandavas felt breathlessness without the presence of their venerable parents. It was a coincidence that all four brothers, along with Draupadi, expressed their desire to King Yudhishthira to visit their noble-hearted mothers - Gandhari and Kunti, as well as their father - King Dhritarashtra! The eldest Pandava was extremely delighted with their proposal, and they began their journey to the forest the next day, accompanied by a huge number of enthusiastic people who were waiting to see their king!

The Pandavas, along with the Brahmanas, the citizens, and other people, proceeded towards the forest. After crossing the sacred river Yamuna, the Kuru King Yudhishthira saw from a distance the hermitage of King Dhritarashtra. Beholding the hermitage, the five brothers alighted from their vehicles and marched forward barefoot. The rest of the people followed in their footsteps.

Hearing the news of the arrival of the Pandavas, the ascetics of rigid vows rushed to the hermitage of Dhritarashtra to see those noble heroes! With tearful eyes, Yudhishthira asked them, ‘O ascetics! Where has my eldest sire gone?’

Humbly, the wise ascetics informed him that Dhritarashtra, along with Gandhari and Kunti, had gone to collect flowers, fruits, and water. Directed by the ascetics, they walked fast to meet them all! After a little while, the Pandavas saw them from a distance. Overwhelmed with emotion, Sahadeva ran towards Kunti and, touching her feet, cried aloud, as if a child had met its long-lost mother after decades! Kunti couldn’t control her tears either! She became speechless and embraced her children one by one. Tears streamed down her face!

The Pandava brothers fell at the feet of Gandhari and Dhritarashtra to pay their respect. The royal sage of great wisdom - King Dhritarashtra - recognised them all by their voices. His voice choked, and tears rolled down from his blind eyes! Overwhelmed with joy at their presence, the monarch consoled them with soft words. Truly, the reunion of parents with their children was so heart-touching indeed!

The royal female members of the Kauravas and Pandavas, headed by Draupadi, saluted their in-laws, bending their heads low! After a while, all of them took their seats. King Dhritarashtra and Yudhishthira began their discourse on several matters. During the conversation, Yudhishthira asked about the whereabouts of the wisest man of the Kuru race - Vidura!

Dhritarashtra said, ‘O son! Vidura is practising severe penances. Without taking any food, he has become extremely thin. His arteries and veins are visible, and sometimes he is noticed by the Brahmanas in this forest.’

While Dhritarashtra was informing him, at that very moment Yudhishthira saw Vidura at a distance. Vidura was in a strange condition! He was completely naked. His body was covered with filth and various flower dust. He had matted locks on his head. Knowing the presence of King Yudhishthira, Vidura quickly ran into the deep forest. King Yudhishthira chased him alone, though Vidura was sometimes seen intermittently! Sometimes seen, sometimes vanished!

After a while, Vidura stood still, leaning against a tree in a lonely place. He had no flesh on his body except the skeletal frame! At last, Yudhishthira reached there and stood before him. He said aloud, ‘O Vidura! Know that I am Yudhishthira! Your favourite one!’

Vidura heard him but had no reaction! He cast a blank look at Yudhishthira! Having fixed his eyes on him, slowly Vidura stood motionless in Yoga! A wonderful thing happened there! The wisest among all Kurus, Vidura, used his Yoga-power and entered into the body of Yudhishthira. All the vital airs - like Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana, and Vyana of Vidura - united with the vital airs of King Yudhishthira. Using his Yoga-power, he entered into his body. King Yudhishthira, the just, remembered his own state - who he was! He connected himself with the deepest part of his consciousness rather than his surface-level personality. He had already heard about Yoga practice from Vyasa Deva.

Fixing his eyes on the son of Pandu, Vidura left his mortal body there itself. After this, Yudhishthira noticed that life was no more in Vidura’s body. Suddenly, he felt himself stronger than before. He realised that he had gained many virtues and accomplishments that Vidura had possessed.

At last, he wished to perform his duties towards the noble-hearted man Vidura! When he was ready to cremate the body duly, he heard an invisible voice saying, ‘O King! Do not try to cremate the body of Vidura. You also exist in his body. And he is none other than eternal Virtue and the deity of Righteousness.’

The mighty son of Pandu was startled by the incident that had occurred and, after coming back from the forest, he narrated the whole scenario to his younger brothers and others. All were filled with wonder!

(Vidura was none other than Dharma Deva (Yamaraj - the god of Death!) He was cursed by Mandavya Rishi to take birth from the womb of a Shudra woman. Why Dharmaraj was cursed, the reason was--- Without a valid reason, Mandavya rishi was punished by the king to be placed at the point of a spear (shula). When the king realised the truth, he rushed to the rishi to beg him his forgiveness, but all the effort became futile. Thus, in the same state, Mandavya went to Dharmaraj who was seated on his throne. The rishi asked, 'O Yamadev, what sin have I committed for which I am tortured like this?'

Yamadev said with humility, 'O revered Rishi! You tortured the bees and the insects for which you are suffering. Don't you know that there is some result for every good or bad deeds?'

He again asked, 'When did I do this?'

'When you were a child,' said Yamaraj.

The Rishi got furious and announced, 'O Dharmaraj! You are a symbol of justice. A child is innocent by nature and he is not aware of any crime. Hereafter, if any child below the age of fourteen did any sin, it would not be considered a crime. I curse you to be born as a mortal in a Sudra woman's womb because of your unfair justice!' Thus, he was born to the maid of Ambika and Vyasa Deva. And Yudhishthira was the son of Dharma Deva and Kunti. Vidura and Yudhishthira both are incarnations of the same deity - Righteousness and Virtue!)