Living with Integrity!

 

After giving up his determination to personally kill Karna, Maharaj Yudhisthira ordered his army to launch a massive attack upon Drona, and to give support to Bhima. Thereafter when the Pandavas & their allies rushed at Drona, Duryodhana stood ready with the Kaurava army to protect the Preceptor so that a fierce battle took place at midnight

 

By that time many of the soldiers had become overwhelmed by drowsiness & thus they were easily killed by those who were alert. Other soldiers, in a half-awake, half-dreaming state, killed their own comrades. Upon seeing this, Arjun loudly announced to both sides: Commanders of the armies, let us rest for some time upon the battlefield. When the moon rises, we can continue fighting with renewed strength

 

The Kurus agreed to this and so the fighting was suspended for some time. Even the Kaurava warriors praised Arjun for this merciful gesture as they lay down upon the backs of their horses, on their chariots, on their elephants or on the bare ground. Some of the horses & elephants also lay down to sleep. After some time, moon rose, brightly illuminating all directions. As the warriors awoke, Duryodhana approached Drona with the intention of provoking him to fight more wrathfully

 

Drona replied: Arjuna’s noble suggestion was quite befitting the character of a true hero and so I was happy to honour it

 

This statement only irritated the Kaurava king. With great agitation he vowed: Drona, without your assistance, Dushasana, Karna, Sakuni & I will kill Arjun in battle tomorrow!

 

Upon hearing these boasting words, Drona laughed out loud and said: Dear Duryodhana, only fools would even think of uttering such words. You are always ready to rebuke everyone else. I think your idea of personally fighting with Arjun is a very good one. After all, this terrible battle is being fought just for your sake. Previously, when Vidura and others had advised you to make peace, you repeatedly boasted in the assembly of Kurus about how you and Karna would together kill all the Pandavas. Why don’t you make good of those words & prove yourself to be more than simply a heroic talker?

 

After three-fourth of the night had passed, fighting resumed. When the light of the dawn appeared, all the warriors on both sides once again suspended the battle to offer their morning prayers

 

A true hero is praised even by his enemies- such should be the character & principles to live and die for. Living with integrity means to commit to certain principles & conscientiously live accordingly despite all odds. When we are in association of people who inspire one another to live by principles, we ourselves become strong. Committed relationships inspires integrity & a committed devotional relationship inspires integrity most powerfully

 

Devotional relationship rests on the understanding that we are souls, who are parts of the Whole, the all-attractive Absolute Truth, Krsna. Gita indicates that when we become disintegrated from Krsna, that is, when we forget, neglect or reject our eternal spiritual connection with him, we come under the sway of our senses. They drag us towards various alluring objects & sentence us to struggle and suffering as we cast aside ethics in our pursuit of pleasure and end up reaping the grievous consequences

 

But when we are integrated with Krsna through a bond of loving devotion, we get, by his grace, higher wisdom & taste. Higher wisdom empowers us to see through the facade of short-term pleasures, and higher taste enables us to relish the supreme joy of devotion. We realize that living with moral & spiritual integrity helps us relish the highest happiness

 

Thoughts? #gameoflife