Timeless Sanskrit Slokas on Sanatana Dharma From Ancient Epics. - Page 2

Beyond Duality and Rituals---

न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं न मन्त्रो न तीर्थं न वेदा न यज्ञाः ।
अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥
Na puṇyaṃ na pāpaṃ na saukhyaṃ na duḥkhaṃ na mantro na tīrthaṃ na vedā na yajñāḥ |
Ahaṃ bhojanaṃ naiva bhojyaṃ na bhoktā cidānandarūpaḥ śivo'haṃ śivo'ham ||

Translation: I have neither virtue nor vice, neither pleasure nor pain. I do not need mantras, holy places, scriptures, or rituals. I am neither the experience, nor the experienced, nor the experiencer. I am the form of consciousness and bliss; I am Shiva, I am Shiva.

Context: Nirvana Shatakam (Verse 4). It asserts that the ultimate soul is completely untouched by earthly concepts of morality, religion, and dualistic experiences.

That alone is knowledge, which brings about tranquillity of the senses. That alone is to be known, which has its significance established in the Upaniuads.

In the Mahabharata, Vidura's wife is most popularly known by her title Vidurani (the wife of Vidura), and in various Puranic and regional traditions, she is named Sulabha.

The most famous narrative connecting Krishna, Vidura, and Sulabha occurs during Krishna’s peace mission to Hastinapur. Rejecting the grand, ego-filled feast offered by Duryodhana, Krishna visits Vidura’s humble hut instead because of their pure devotion. Overwhelmed with absolute love (Bhakti), Sulabha becomes so transfixed by Krishna's presence that she accidentally peels bananas, throws away the actual fruit, and feeds Krishna the banana peels, which Krishna happily eats, relishing her pure devotion.

Below are the most prominent Sanskrit slokas highlighting this divine pastime and Krishna's special relationship with Vidura's household.

1. The Power of Bhakti: Eating the Banana Peels

This well-known devotional verse captures how Lord Krishna values the inner feeling (bhāva) of a devotee over the elegance of the offering itself, explicitly citing Vidura's wife.

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति।
तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः॥
त्वक्-फलं चापि विदुरपत्न्या दत्तं जनार्दनः।
बुभुजे छिल्यमानं तत् भक्त्या परमया मुदा॥

Translation: "Whoever offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, I accept it. Thus, Janardana (Krishna) with supreme joy ate even the skin/peels of the fruit offered by Vidura’s wife, as it was given with ultimate devotion."

2. Krishna Explaining Why He Ate at Vidura's House

When Duryodhana asks Krishna why He insulted the royal palace by choosing to eat at a poor minister's house, Krishna replies directly in the Mahabharata (Udyoga Parva) with this famous sloka:

द्विषदन्नं न भोक्तव्यं द्विषन्तं नैव भोजयेत्।
पाण्डवान् द्विषसे राजन् मम प्राणा हि पाण्डवाः॥
भक्तानीनि हि भोक्तव्यानि त्वद्विधानि न कर्हिचित्।
विदुरस्यान्नं भोक्तव्यं सुप्रसन्नं शुचिं तथा॥

Translation: "One should not eat food offered by an enemy, nor feed an enemy. O King (Duryodhana), you hate the Pandavas, and the Pandavas are My very life. Only food offered by a devotee should be consumed, never by someone like you. The food of Vidura is fit to be eaten, for it is offered with a pure, delighted, and clean heart."