Teaching Self!

The war entered the 15^th day!

 

As fighting resumed, Drona quickly killed 3 of Drupada’s grandsons while combating Pāncālas. Next, Drona proceeded to ravage the Matsya army & so Drupada & Virāta advanced to check him

 

Drona immediately broke both of these venerable kings’ bows. Then, as Drupada & Virāta proceeded to hurl lances & spears, the Preceptor not only shattered those weapons to pieces with his arrows, but took away their lives as well

 

After witnessing death of his father, Dhrishtadyumna vowed to kill Drona that very day. He then rushed at Preceptor with a large army, but because Drona was surrounded by Duryodhana, Karna & many other powerful Kaurava warriors, Dhrishtadyumna could not approach him

 

Seeing this, Bhima became very angry with Dhrishtadyumna & so chastised him by saying: O Prince, how can you standby passively after watching your father killed? If you are an impotent eunuch, stand aside while I attack Drona!

 

After saying this, Bhima began penetrating Kaurava army so that Dhrishtadyumna followed him. During the gruesome battle that followed, entire battlefield took appearance of a vast crematorium. Only Drona & Arjun remained unshaken in that tempest so that they became shelters of all the warriors in their respective armies

 

As Duryodhana fought with Nakula, Dushasana rushed at Sahadev. Sahadev soon beheaded his driver & so Dushasana picked up reins & continued fighting while simultaneously guiding his horses. When he saw Dushasana in this disadvantageous condition, Karna rushed to his aid, but Bhima intercepted him

 

Thereafter, as these two incomparable heroes fiercely battled, they came so close to each other while riding upon their chariots that it was difficult for them to continue releasing their arrows & so Bhima and Karna picked up their clubs. Karna was the first to hurl his mace, but Bhima knocked it down with his own & then threw his club in retaliation

 

Karna picked up his bow & expertly repelled Bhima’s mace back at him with a steady stream of arrows. That boomeranging mace knocked down Bhima’s insignia & then hit his driver, making him fall unconscious. In a fit of rage, Bhima picked his bow & quickly broke Karna’s bow, knocked his insignia & cut-off his finger guard. Karna picked up another bow & killed Bhima’s horses and driver, forcing the Pāndava hero to dismount & get onto Nakula’s chariot

 

Meanwhile, Drona & Arjun waged an incomparable duel & so all the other warriors stopped fighting to stand aside as spectators. After some time, Drona began employing celestial weapons, but Arjun skilfully destroyed them as soon as they were released from Drona’s bow. The astonished Preceptor mentally applauded his favourite disciple

 

We can always make our teacher proud. An expert teacher imparts wisdom about how to act wisely when facing a challenging situation. But often we forget and act unwisely while confronting such situations

 

Because learnt wisdom does not automatically translate into lived wisdom. We need to teach it to ourselves, and be responsible teacher to ourselves as well. Gita says:

 

uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet
ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ

 

One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well

 

We should have inner responsibility to exhort us to elevate ourselves with ourselves, not degrade ourselves with ourselves. The mind plays an important part in this process, which can act unwisely unless it is expertly monitored & mentored. Just as good teachers find ways to get to difficult students, we need to find ways to get to our mind. Mantra meditation is one

 

Thoughts? #gameoflife