Surrender!

The fight between Parasuram & Bhisma continued for many days. Every evening the duel was suspended & it resumed the next morning. After some days, when Parasurama saw that Bhisma successfully countered all his celestial weapons, he picked up a fierce lance & hurled it. Bhisma cut it to pieces with his arrows & so enraged Parasuram proceeded to hurl a dozen more, one after another. Bhisma cut them all to pieces & in this way the day ended without anyone getting upper hand

 

Next morning, Bhisma's chariot driver suddenly fell dead after being greatly afflicted by Parasuram's arrows. At this, a great fear entered Bhisma's heart & he began to lament to himself very bitterly. Parasuram took advantage of this lapse by piercing him in chest so severely that the arrow went right through his body & stuck into ground and Bhisma fell unconscious. Thinking Bhisma was dead, Parasuram let out a great roar, as did his followers. On the other side, all Kauravas, who had come to witness fight became grief-stricken

 

Thereafter, when Bhisma regained consciousness, he saw 8 Brahmanas surrounding him. Because they supported him, he did not actually touch the ground. Indeed, it was those brahmanas who had revived him by giving him water. Finally, after being assured by sages of his success, Bhisma got up to resume fighting

 

At that time, Bhisma saw his mother, Ganqa-devi, seated upon his chariot, for it was she who had controlled his horses after death of his driver. Bhisma offered his obeisances to his mother & begged her to leave; assuring her that he was quite capable of guiding the chariot & fighting at the same time

 

Ganga-devi departed & Bhisma picked up reins of his chariot & re-entered battlefield. In the fierce duel that followed, Bhisma suddenly pierced Parasuram with a mighty arrow that made him fall to ground on his knees. As Parasuram proceeded to lose consciousness, hundreds of meteors fell from the sky, along with showers of blood. Fierce winds blew & there was an unexpected eclipse of the sun

 

Parasuram quickly got up & once again approached Bhisma for battle. In this way, 23 days elapsed. That night, as Bhisma lay down to sleep, wounded all over by arrows, he began to wonder: Is it possible for me to defeat Parasuram in battle? He then prayed to demigods: If I’m at all capable of vanquishing my opponent, pl appear to me this night & give me assurances

 

Toward the end of night 8 brahmanas, who had previously revived Bhisma, once again appeared in dream. They assured him: We’ll always protect you, for you are our very body. The understanding of how to use the Prasvapa weapon will automatically come to your mind when needed, for it was known to you in your former life. Parasuram is not aware of this weapon, & although it’ll not kill him, it will make him fall asleep. In this way you will be able to vanquish your enemy, for sleep on battlefield is equivalent to death. To awaken Parasuram, all you will have to do is employ the Samvodhana weapon

 

Krsna says in Gita:

balaṁ balavatāṁ cāhaṁ kāma-rāga-vivarjitam -I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and desire

 

We ourselves cannot do anything by self but are dependent on the Supreme Lord. We hence need to surrender at his Lotus feet & act according to Dharma to get His blessings

 

Thoughts? #gameoflife