The dialogue between Sage Sanatsujata and Dhritarashtra that occurs in the Mahabharata is considered to be the epitome of the Vedanta sastras, on a par with the Bhagavad Gita. Adi Sankara’s bashya on this text is a classic interpretation that helps not only the intellectual perception of the truth and purpose of life, but also stirs the quest for seeking that which is changeless and immortal, pointed out Sri B. Sundarkumar in a discourse. This dialogue takes off as a continuation from where Vidhura pauses in the course of his advice to the disturbed Dhritarashtra, who is unable to override Duryodhana’s stance of open enmity towards the Pandavas. In a way, Dhritarashtra typifies the conflict inhering in every individual when trying to reconcile the values and experiences of worldly life with the simultaneous yearning for liberation from all these.
After speaking at length on various issues about individual and collective dharma and drawing his attention to his duties as a king, Vidhura moves on to discuss the soul’s nature. At this point he feels that his preceptor, Sage Sanatsujata, the mind born son of Brahma, is most qualified to explain these esoteric matters. By the strength of his meditative powers, Vidhura invites the sage to their presence and requests him to clear the doubts arising in Dhritarashtra’s mind. The sage says that the learned are of the view that the concept of death and immortality is only a matter of ignorance and knowledge. Ignorance is death and realisation or knowledge is immortality. What one generally regards as death, the casting of the body, is only the prelude for taking another body, rebirth. In each birth, if true knowledge is not pursued, and one gets attached to worldly enjoyments, one is born again and caught in the round of rebirth. It is by practice of self restraint and contentment that one can conquer the soul and avoid rebirths.