What to fight & die for?
 
Takshaka was at Kurukshetra while Agni devoured Khāndava forest, although his wife & son Asvasena were within blazing fire. When Asvasena tried to escape, Arjun drove him back with a shower of arrows. To save her son, Takshaka’s wife swallowed him beginning with his head. With her son’s tail protruding from her mouth, she suddenly rose into sky. Arjun saw Asvasena’s mother & severed her head with a sharp arrow
 
Indra witnessed this & to save Asvasena, he suddenly jolted Arjun with a violent wind making him momentarily lose consciousness. Taking advantage of this, Asvasena fled to safety & when Arjun regained consciousness & realized what had happened, he became furious with Indra. Challenging Indra, he sent a shower of arrows into the sky to which Indra retaliated by a weapon that created torrents of rain, fierce wind & thunder. Arjun released Vayavya weapon dispelling clouds & clearing the skies
 
Agni was very pleased with Arjun for enabling him to devour Khāndava forest without any impediments. Numerous birds of Garuda specie appeared in sky along with hosts of Nāgas attacking Arjun & Krsna. Arjun killed them all aided by Krsna’s Sudarshan Cakra. Meanwhile Indra picked his thunderbolt & together with other demigods like Yamarāja, Varuna, Kuvera, Asvini Kumaras, Sun, Maruts, Rudras, Vasus & others, wielding their weapons, joined him
 
When demigods came within range, Krsna & Arjun released showers of arrows & drove away their adversaries. Indra, to kill Arjun tore off a peak of mount Mandar & hurled it only to be shattered by Arjun’s arrows. As Krsna released his Cakra, demigods became afraid to approach him & fled
 
Indra seeing this, applauded Krsna & Arjun for their astonishing prowess. A voice from sky declared-Indra you need not worry about your friend Takshaka as he is now residing at Kurukshetra. You know that Krsna & Arjun cannot be defeated as they are Nara & Nārayana (the Supreme Personality of Godhead). Give up your attempt to protect Khāndava forest, for its destruction has been ordained by destiny
 
Indra considering the voice to be of Supreme authority, gave up his enmity & returned to heavenly planets with demigods
 
Krsna saw Maya Dānava trying to escape as Agni in a dreadful form having matted hair, pursued him on a chariot driven by Vāyu. As Krsna prepared to release his Cakra, Maya Dānava gave up all hope of saving himself & took shelter of Arjun and was assured protection. Agni thus burnt forest for 15 days & except for 6 survivors-Asvasena, Maya Dānava & 4 birds called Sārngakas, all were consumed by fire
 
When we face a situation where despite our best efforts, defeat is imminent, instead of moving forward, we need to reflect & take a step back. It would be foolhardy to carry on with same set of efforts without evaluating the opponent & the reason for their superiority. We could live for another day & effort to come back
 
Reflections & regaining energy is strategic to acknowledge our position & higher plans at play. Not all battles are worth winning, be selective, for sometimes peace is better than being right. Be selective about your battles
 
Thoughts? #gameoflife


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