Advise!

 

The son of Dhritrāshtra named Citrasena rushed at Bhima while riding his chariot. Bhima ran to meet him & while brandishing his upraised mace menacingly, he roared terrifyingly. When they saw Bhima’s ferocious feature, all Kaurava soldiers began to run away. When Bhima hurled his mace, Chitrasena managed to jump on ground, while his chariot, horses & driver were smashed to pulp.

Vikarna quickly came back & took his brother away to safety

 

Bhisma rushed at Yudhisthira & seeing this, all Pāndava warriors considered their king to be already in the jaws of death. Yudhisthira showered his well-aimed arrows at Bhisma, as did Nakula & Sahadev, who were protecting his chariot wheels. Still, Bhisma killed Yudhisthira’s horses & he had to get on to Nakula’s chariot

 

As Bhisma continued showering his arrows, Yudhisthira ordered the Pāndava army to launch al all-out attack. The result, however, was that the Grandsire created a great carnage of the onrushing foe. Shikhandi charged at Bhisma, challenging him to fight. However, Bhisma remembered that the prince had formerly been a girl & so he carefully avoided him

 

As Sun began to set, both armies retired to their camps for the night. In evening, the warriors refreshed themselves by enjoying musical entertainment, briefly forgetting the trials of battle

 

As the 2 armies rushed at each other on the 8th day next morning, Bhisma & Dhārtarāshtrās began to create a great slaughter amongst Pāndava warriors. Bhima came to oppose Bhisma & after a brief skirmish managed to kill Grandsire’s driver so that the unguided horses carried him away from battlefield

 

Bhima quickly beheaded Dhritrāshtra’s son Sunabha & when 7 more Dhārtarāshtrās rushed at him in retaliation, Bhima severed their heads as well. All other brothers fearfully fled, considering Bhima’s vow to kill them will certainly come true. Duryodhana became very aggrieved witnessing death of his brothers. He went to Bhisma complaining: You seem to be taking part in this battle only as a spectator. Due to this all my brothers are being slain

 

Bhisma tolerated this insult & said: You may remember how Vidura, Drona, Gāndhari & numerous others, including me had previously warned you that this will happen. Pāndavās are unconquerable & thus both Drona & I’ll surely have to lay down our lives in battle. You should also fight wholeheartedly with the Pāndavās and thus go to heaven along with rest of us

 

Duryodhana was agitated hearing this!

 

When we strive to communicate wisdom, which is like a medicine to cure people of their misconceptions, we may speak truth with best intent, but it may trigger excessive agitation among audience. This agitation may overshadow good intention of speaker & can fall to deaf ear

 

Gita states that we should not just speak the truth, but also speak it in a way that benefits the audience, while simultaneously at least not agitating them inordinately & at best pleasing them

 

Do we? Thoughts? #gameoflife

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
  Victory! It was early in morning as both sides awaited the rising of Sun, a brisk wind carried drops of water & thunder was heard, although not a cloud was seen in sky. After some time, the wind picked up so that not only was there a dust storm, but even small pebbles were blown here & there. Meteors fell from the sky & earth trembled. When the Sun rose, it lacked its usual splendor. And yet both armies looked magnificent & all warriors appeared jubilant in anticipation When Maharaj Yudhisthira saw the vast Kaurava army with Bhisma in its midst, he became disheartened & his face became pale. He said to his brother Arjun: I don’t think that we have a chance for victory. The vast army containing so many illustrious warriors appears impenetrable Arjun said: Dear brother, you must remain confident, knowing that even though we are inferior in numbers, victory is always with the righteous. You have forgotten that Lord Krsna is protecting us? Sri Krsna is the Supreme...
Read more
Image
Emotions! As R āksasās led by Ghatotkaca attacked, only Asvattāma remained firm & dispelled their illusions. Ghatotkaca rushed at Asvattāma, but the son of Drona drove him back with a forceful stream of arrows. The son of Ghatotkaca, named Anjanaparva joined the fray, showering his arrows upon Asvattāma, but Drona’s son quickly retaliated by knocking down his flag, killing his two drivers, breaking his bow & at last killing his horses   Anjanaparva flew into the sky & began showering trees upon Asvattāma. In retaliation the son of Drona afflicted him so severely that the Rāksasā soon had to return to the shelter of his chariot. Asvattāma discharged a fierce arrow that took away Anjanaparva’s life & then continued to slaughter many other Pāndava warriors   Ghatotkaca became terribly aggrieved seeing the death of his son & so he rushed at Asvattāma while challenging him. In the spectacular duel that followed the entire sky became lit up by the spark...
Read more
Image
  Emotional outburst – It hurts!   Hearing Bhima’s roar, all Pāndava warriors triumphantly blew conch shells & shouted with joy. Duryodhana went to Drona on a swift chariot. With great anger he said: O Preceptor! Arjun, Sātyaki & Bhima have approached Jayadratha after vanquishing our soldiers. How could you let them defeat you & then pass right thro’ your army? Do you not know that all our warriors harshly criticize you for this grievous lapse? Anyways, let us forget what has passed. Now pls instruct me about what should be done for Jayadratha’s protection?   Drona replied: To protect Jayadratha is certainly our foremost duty, but I wish to remind you that all our present sufferings were brought about because you made Sakuni challenge Yudhisthira to gamble at the dice board. That dice game was the preliminary contest, but this war is the real gambling match wherein Jayadratha has become the stake & the deadly arrows are the dice. Go now, my dear Du...
Read more