Vedic Wisdom Talks

  Overcoming fear!   While storming through enemy ranks on foot, Bhima displayed great variety of movements. Jumping high, he brought many heroic warriors down from their chariots. As everyone watched Bhima in amazement, the Kalinga king & Srutāyu attacked him. A chariot was then sent to Bhima, who after mounting it made short work of King of Kalinga, as well as Ketumat & many others   All the Kalinga chariot warriors then surrounded Bhima, hoping to gain revenge. At this, Bhima jumped from his chariot with mace in hand. After killing 2700 chariot warriors in few minutes, he let out a loud roar & blew his mighty conch-shell. Remaining Kalinga warriors panicked & fled   Meanwhile, after hearing cries of Kalinga warriors that were being exterminated, Bhisma rushed to encounter Bhima. Sātyaki & Dhrishtadyumna came to Bhima’s aid so that soon the 3 surrounded Bhisma. The Grandsire then killed Bhima’s horses. Remaining on his chariot, Bhima...

  TEAM Strength!   Day 2 of Mahabharata war started   Maharāj Yudhisthira ordered Dhrishtadyumna to arrange Pāndava army in Kraunca formation. As both sides awaited rising of the Sun, all warriors blew conch-shell in anticipation of day’s encounter. Duryodhana urged his army to attack so that battle soon raged   From beginning Bhisma routed Pāndava forces. Arjun thus ordered Sri Krsna to take him where the Grandsire was staying. Many warriors came to support both, Arjun & Bhisma & so a great battle took place. This time Arjun predominated, creating a great slaughter in Kaurava ranks   At last, Duryodhana approached Bhisma & said: Dear Grandfather, it is only because of you that my well-wisher Karna desisted from battle. So, in his absence, it behooves you to find means for killing Arjun. Being thus prodded, Bhisma exclaimed: To hell with Kshatriya profession & departed to encounter Arjun. Thereafter, Bhisma & Arjun showered ar...

  Zero to Hero! Sveta was fighting bravely Bhisma mounted another chariot & at this time heard a voice from sky saying: O descendent of Kuru, act decisively, for the time has arrived that the Creator has fixed for you to kill Sveta. Bhima, Sātyaki, Dhrishtadyumna, & others tried to rescue Sveta, but Drona, Salya and Krpā checked them   Sveta rushed at Bhisma, sword in hand & managed to cut his bow in half. Bhisma picked up another bow & even though protectors had meanwhile surrounded Sveta, he rushed at him while remembering the celestial instruction First Bhisma showered his arrows to check other Pāndava warriors. Then he released an arrow empowered with the energy of Brahmā. When that mighty Brahmāstra pierced Sveta’s body & entered the earth, it took his very life. Upon seeing the fall of Sveta, Pāndava warriors lamented bitterly & Shikhandi trembled with fear. On the other side, Kaurava warriors shouted with joy while Dushasana danced gleefully on b...

  Budhhi-Yoga!   Virata’s son Uttara, rushed at Salya while riding upon a gigantic elephant. Although Salya tried to check the infuriated beast, it crushed his horses underfoot. While remaining on his chariot, Salya picked up a fierce dart & hurled it. That dart pierced right through Uttara’s armor, shattering his chest & causing him to fall dead from the back of his carrier. Salya jumped from his disabled chariot & with his sword, cut off the elephant’s trunk, making it fall to ground dead while using terrible shrieks   Salya got on Krtvarmā’s chariot while Uttara’s brother, Sveta madly rushed at him, accompanied by other great chariot warriors. Seven leading Kaurav warriors quickly came to protect Salya. However, Sveta displayed such amazing prowess that he first cut their bows in half with 7 arrows & then knocked down their flags with 7 more   As Sveta continued to rush towards Salya, Bhisma & Duryodhana finally checked him. At that...

  The war raged on!   Great horsemen, furious with anger, rushed against other horsemen while hurling long darts covered with gold or releasing arrows that severed enemy’s limbs. Some heroic horsemen carrying swords leaped high into the air to sever the heads of chariot warriors. Some horsemen were overthrown by elephants that trampled them underfoot along with their steeds   Polished spears flew thro’ the sky like meteors. They sometimes pierced a soldier & then entered the body of another. Indeed, entire sky was filled with weapons. The sounds of wounded warriors mixed with shouts of heroic soldiers were deafening   Enraged elephants smashed chariots and then picked them up with their trunks & threw them violently to ground. Although guarded on all sides, these elephants had thousands of weapons stuck into their bodies. They were cut by swords & mangled by maces & battleaxes. Some warriors had their armor torn off from their body. Even t...

  Dutifulness! While rushing at Nakula, Dushasana pierced him with many arrows. Simply laughing, Nakula retaliated by knocking down his flag, breaking his bow & piercing him with 20 arrows. In retaliation Dushasana angrily killed Nakula’s horses & cut down his flag Durmukha rushed at Sahadev & pierced him all over with arrows. Sahadev countered by killing Durmukha’s charioteer & covering him with hundreds of arrows Maharāj Yudhisthira encountered Salya, the Madra king, piercing him with numerous arrows. Salya retaliated by breaking Yudhisthira’s bow in half. Picking up a stronger bow, Yudhisthira pierced Salya more violently In this great battle Dhrishtadyumna rushed at Drona & Dhrstaketu encountered Bāhilka. Ghatotkaca fought with Alambusa & pierced him with many arrows Sikhandi battled Asvattāma while Krpa rushed at Brhadratha, the ruler of the Kaikeyas, enveloping him in a shower of arrows. Those two great warriors then killed each other’s horses, broke o...

  Dharma-Yuddha! Maharāj Yudhisthira put on his golden armor as all kings applauded him highly for his exemplary behavior of having offered due respects to his superiors After all the warriors had mounted their chariots, the call of the battle was given. In response to Duryodhana’s command, all kings on Kaurava side rushed towards Pāndava army to fight. Similarly in response to Yudhisthira’s order, all the kings in the Pāndava army went to encounter the Kauravas, and no one turned his face from battle The shouts of the soldiers, the twanging of bowstrings, the tread of infantry, the furious sounds of horses, the clash of weapons, the clamor of elephants rushing against one another, and the clatter of chariots mingled to produce a loud uproar, causing everyone’s hair to stand on the end. And yet Bhima’s loud roars could be heard above all this. Indeed, that terrible vibration caused a great fear to enter the hearts of all Kaurava warriors & made their horses & elephants pass...