Vvs Sarma
Vinjamuri Venkata Apparao writes
Understanding Bhishma: The Later Days....
The Kurukshetra
The Kurukshetra
After protecting/serving the race and kingdom of Kurus for so many years, he should have retired at the time of the War. But, he did not. Instead, he accepted the spot of the commanding officer of the Kaurava defence.
Picture : Arjuna and Bhishma in their war chariots attacking one another from opposing sides.
Understanding Bhishma: The Later Days
This archaic battle scene, taken from the epic Mahabharat, depicts Arjuna and Bhishma in their war chariots attacking one another from opposing sides. Charioted horses await below, while a group of horsemen, sounding a trumpet and drum, stand in the top right corner.
Picture : Arjuna and Bhishma in their war chariots attacking one another from opposing sides.
Understanding Bhishma: The Later Days
This archaic battle scene, taken from the epic Mahabharat, depicts Arjuna and Bhishma in their war chariots attacking one another from opposing sides. Charioted horses await below, while a group of horsemen, sounding a trumpet and drum, stand in the top right corner.
Why did he join the Kauravas? Well, agreed that he had promised his father, King Shantanu to guard the kingdom of Hastinapur. But, here in this case, no matter whether the Pandavas won or the Kauravas, a Kuru son would have ascended to the throne. In any circumstance, there was no threat to the Kuru realm from outsiders. If not a retreat, Bhishma should have at least remained neutral just the way Balram, Lord Krishna’s elder brother did. He could have then come back again to serve the Hastinapur throne, once the War was over.
The Dilemma
Bhishma’s heart always belonged to the Pandavas, though he felt it was his duty to serve the Kauravas. Still, he refrained from supporting the Pandavas openly.
Bhishma’s heart always belonged to the Pandavas, though he felt it was his duty to serve the Kauravas. Still, he refrained from supporting the Pandavas openly.
The verses in the Bhagavad Gita dictate,
“Yadyad Acharti Shrestha
Tadtad eve taro jana
sa yet parmanam kurute
lokas tad anuvartate”
Tadtad eve taro jana
sa yet parmanam kurute
lokas tad anuvartate”
It means, whatever a great man does, is followed by others. The standard laid by Bhishma, would be followed by the world.
If only Bhishma had avoided the War, his example would have been then followed by others like Drona, who was indebted to him. In the nonattendance of these two experienced and brave warriors, there could have been two possibilities, both good. One, the war would have been far less destructive and two, maybe there might have been no war, at all. These two towering personalities invited support from other people as well to the Kauravas.
Reply – VVS Sarma
Apparao garu posed an important question about the character of Bhishma and his decision to lead the Kaurava side in the Mahabharata war against the Pandavas, knowing fully well that the Pandava side is the one upholding dharma and Sri Krishna, whose aim is to re-establish Dharma in the world, is on their side protecting them.
1. Mahabharata is not just an episode of ancient Indian history, a great war fought for sovereignty on India and the throne of Hastinapur between the cousins, Kauravas and Pandavs. It is Itihasa, Purana, Dharma Sastra, Moksha Sastra and Pancama Veda. It has to be looked at as a saga of creation. It has to be looked at three levels: Adhi-bhautika, Adhi Daivika, and Adyatmika .
2. As such as it should have – sarga, pratisarga, manvantara, vamsa and vansanu carita
- As vamsanu charita it deals with the history of Kuru Vamsa, Yaduvamsa,
- It has history of Rishis such as Vyasa, Parasara, and has history of Kings and ancestors of the kings over scores of generations – This vamsa
- As per time scale it is transition of yugas – Dwapara and Kali – in Vaivasvata Manvamtara .***** This is all at the bhautika plane.
3. Most characters have connection with higher worlds or lokas.
2. As such as it should have – sarga, pratisarga, manvantara, vamsa and vansanu carita
- As vamsanu charita it deals with the history of Kuru Vamsa, Yaduvamsa,
- It has history of Rishis such as Vyasa, Parasara, and has history of Kings and ancestors of the kings over scores of generations – This vamsa
- As per time scale it is transition of yugas – Dwapara and Kali – in Vaivasvata Manvamtara .***** This is all at the bhautika plane.
3. Most characters have connection with higher worlds or lokas.
Bhishma is from Vasu loka. His mother is divine river Ganga. He has come down to earth on account of a curse in a higher loka and the other Vasus got away with a small journey to earth between birth and death and Bhishma being the prime culprit had to spend a long time an earth in sorrowful circumstances.
It was a time when gods and sages of higher lokas were freely wandering in the Bhuloka interacting with humans.
4. Dhritarashtra is a Gandharva and he and Pandu were born through Vyasa, a Rishi and an incarnation of Vishnu, Sakuni is Dwapara and Duryodhana is Kali. Karna is son of Surya. Pandavas are sons of Yama, Vayu, Indra and the Aswins.
5. Sri Krishna is an incarnation of Maha Vishnu who descended on his own to establish dharma in a society where the rulers deviated from dharma and the whole country had to suffer.
6. Bhishma knew dharmas well but he was a mute witness to adharama perpetrated at Kaurava court like the insult and indignity meted out to Draupadi.
7. Santanu committed adharma when he extracted promises from Devavrata for satisfying his own lust to Satyavati bypassing the prince who was most eligible for the throne.
8. Bhishma was wrong in abducting Amba and sisters for his incompetent brother Vicitravirya. , clearly against the concept of Svayaamvara.
9. Bhishma therefore wanted to atone for his sins by fighting on the adharma side and to complete his karmic liability by spending 49 days on the bed of arrows. It was time for him to go back to his loka.
In summary, Bhishma had no option at that stage other than fighting on Kaurava side. He did not hesitate even to reveal how he could be subdued in war. Sikhandi was manifestation of his own karma-phala.
4. Dhritarashtra is a Gandharva and he and Pandu were born through Vyasa, a Rishi and an incarnation of Vishnu, Sakuni is Dwapara and Duryodhana is Kali. Karna is son of Surya. Pandavas are sons of Yama, Vayu, Indra and the Aswins.
5. Sri Krishna is an incarnation of Maha Vishnu who descended on his own to establish dharma in a society where the rulers deviated from dharma and the whole country had to suffer.
6. Bhishma knew dharmas well but he was a mute witness to adharama perpetrated at Kaurava court like the insult and indignity meted out to Draupadi.
7. Santanu committed adharma when he extracted promises from Devavrata for satisfying his own lust to Satyavati bypassing the prince who was most eligible for the throne.
8. Bhishma was wrong in abducting Amba and sisters for his incompetent brother Vicitravirya. , clearly against the concept of Svayaamvara.
9. Bhishma therefore wanted to atone for his sins by fighting on the adharma side and to complete his karmic liability by spending 49 days on the bed of arrows. It was time for him to go back to his loka.
In summary, Bhishma had no option at that stage other than fighting on Kaurava side. He did not hesitate even to reveal how he could be subdued in war. Sikhandi was manifestation of his own karma-phala.
Just as AP has to be divided, the Mahabharata war had to be fought then. It was beyond humans and it was divine plan. The following is the operating truth
sri-bhagavan uvaca
kalo 'smi loka-ksaya-krt pravrddho
lokan samahartum iha pravrttah
rte 'pi tvam na bhavisyanti sarve
ye 'vasthitah pratyanikesu yodhah
kalo 'smi loka-ksaya-krt pravrddho
lokan samahartum iha pravrttah
rte 'pi tvam na bhavisyanti sarve
ye 'vasthitah pratyanikesu yodhah
The Supreme God said: Time I am, the great destroyer of the worlds, and I have come here to destroy all people. With the exception of you [the Pandavas], all the soldiers here on both sides will be slain.
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