Text 18]
Vidura's Talks with Maitreya
181
PURPORT
The great sage Maitreya Muni is described here as  bhagavān  because he surpassed all ordinary human beings in learning and experience. Thus his selection of the greatest welfare service for the world is considered authoritative. The all-inclusive welfare service for the entire human society is devotional service to the Lord, and, as requested by Vidura, the sage described the same very appropriately.
TEXT 18
मैत्रेय उवाच
साधु पृष्ठं त्वया साधो लोकान् साध्वनुगृह्णता । कीर्तिं वितन्वता लोके आत्मनोऽधोक्षजात्मनः॥१८॥
maitreya uvāca
sādhu pṛṣṭam tvayā sādho
lokān sādhv anugrhṇatā
kīrtim vitanvatā loke
ātmano 'dhokṣajātmanaḥ
maitreyaḥ uvāca —Śrī Maitreya said;  sādhu —all good;  pṛṣṭam —I am asked;  tvayā —by you;  sādho —O good one;  lokān —all the people;  sādhu anugrhṇatā —showing mercy in goodness;  kīrtim —glories;  vitanvatā —broad-casting;  loke —in the world;  ātmanaḥ —of the self;  adhokṣaja —the Transcendence;  ātmanaḥ —mind.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Maitreya said: O Vidura, all glory unto you. You have inquired from me of the greatest of all goodness, and thus you have shown your mercy both to the world and to me because your mind is always absorbed in thoughts of the Transcendence.
PURPORT
Maitreya Muni, who was experienced in the science of Transcendence, could understand that Vidura's mind was fully absorbed in Transcendence.  Adhokṣaja  means that which transcends the limits of sense perception or sensuous experience. The Lord is transcendental to our sense experience, but He reveals Himself to the sincere devotee. Because Vidura was always absorbed in thought of the Lord, Maitreya could estimate Vidura's tran-