कया वृत्त्या वर्तितं वश्चरद्भिः क्षितिमण्डलम् ।
तीर्थानि क्षेत्रमुख्यानि सेवितानीह भूतले ॥९॥

kayÄ vá¹›ttyÄ vartitaá¹ vaÅ›
caradbhiḥ ká¹£iti-maṇá¸alam
tÄ«rthÄni ká¹£etra-mukhyÄni
sevitÄnÄ«ha bhÅ«tale

 kayÄ - by which; vá¹›ttyÄ - means; vartitam - maintained your livelihood; vaḥ - your good self; caradbhiḥ - while traveling; ká¹£iti-maṇá¸alam - on the surface of the earth; tÄ«rthÄni - places of pilgrimage; ká¹£etra-mukhyÄni - the principal holy places; sevitÄni - served by you; iha - in this world; bhÅ«tale - on this planet.


Text

While traveling on the surface of the earth, how did you maintain your livelihood? At which holy places and pilgrimage sites did you render service?

Purport

Vidura went out from the palace to detach himself from household affairs, especially political intrigues. As referred to hereinbefore, he was practically insulted by Duryodhana’s calling him a son of a śūdrÄṇī, although it was not out of place to talk loosely in the case of one’s grandmother. Vidura’s mother, although a śūdrÄṇī, was the grandmother of Duryodhana, and funny talks are sometimes allowed between grandmother and grandchildren. But because the remark was an actual fact, it was unpalatable talk to Vidura, and it was accepted as a direct insult. He therefore decided to quit his paternal house and prepare for the renounced order of life. This preparatory stage is called vÄnaprastha-ÄÅ›rama, or retired life for traveling and visiting the holy places on the surface of the earth. In the holy places of India, like Vá¹›ndÄvana, Hardwar, JagannÄtha PurÄ«, and PrayÄga, there are many great devotees, and there are still free kitchen houses for persons who desire to advance spiritually. MahÄrÄja Yudhiṣṭhira was inquisitive to learn whether Vidura maintained himself by the mercy of the free kitchen houses (chatras).