Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.13.9

kaya vrittya vartitam vas

caradbhih kshiti-mandalam

tirthani kshetra-mukhyani

sevitaniha bhutale

SYNONYMS

kaya -- by which; vrittya -- means; vartitam -- maintained your livelihood; vah -- your good self; caradbhih -- while traveling; kshiti-mandalam -- on the surface of the earth; tirthani -- places of pilgrimage; kshetra-mukhyani -- the principal holy places; sevitani -- served by you; iha -- in this world; bhutale -- on this planet.

TRANSLATION

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 sudrani, although it was not out of place to talk loosely in the case of one's grandmother. Vidura's mother, although a sudrani, 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 vanaprastha-asrama, or retired life for traveling and visiting the holy places on the surface of the earth. In the holy places of India, like Vrindavana, Hardwar, Jagannatha Puri, and Prayaga, there are many great devotees, and there are still free kitchen houses for persons who desire to advance spiritually. Maharaja Yudhishthira was inquisitive to learn whether Vidura maintained himself by the mercy of the free kitchen houses (chatras).

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness