Test of Integrity
Vidula vakyam
The story of Vidula was told to Krishna by Kunti during the peace mission before the Great War. Kunti did not like her sons to compromise with their wicked cousins and so, asked Krishna to tell this Purana Katha to her sons. Kunti used it as an example and wished her sons to confront the Duryodhana in a war.
Vidula, a royal mother like Kunti might have lived much before the times of Kunti. She had a son by name Sanjay who became king after the demise of her husband, a proud King. Her son was defeated by the king of Sindhu and lost his kingdom and was not in a mood to fight back to acquire what was his by right. He cites the reasons like lack of resources, lack of supporters etc., for his reluctance to wage a war but his mother perceives that the real reason for her son’s reluctance is his wrong mind set. She gives her son a stern advice to take up the arms and fight with the enemy. She uses very tough words to wake him up from the depressed state and clearly tells him what is expected of him having born a Kshatriya and the king. She further cautions him that his continued inaction would make him further weak and there is a danger even his existing supporters may join the enemy camp. She tells him that he will loose all his respect if he doesn’t display his anger and continue to show excessive passivity and back out from taking vengeance he would be treated as a eunuch. No mother would like to have a son who would bring disrespect to the clan. She tells him that his behaviour does not behave of a kshatriya.
Sanjaya tells his mother that he was not in a position to wage a war and asks what would she gain by losing her only son. He further questions her that even he wins and gives her kingdom, what purpose it would serve ,if he were to die in the war. Vidula replies that dying in the war is much more respectable than living the life listlessly as a defeated person in life. She keeps on motivating her son answering every question he poses and finally Sanjay says he was ready for the war ,but prolonged the conversation and asked those questions so as hear more good and wise words from his mother.
Thereafter Sanjay gets into the war strongly motivated by his mother thus and defeats the king of Sindhu and makes his mother proud. This episode is called ,”Jayam” in the words of Kunti and it was supposed to motivate any Kshatriya into action resulting in a victory.