Lessons from Dushasana’s terrible end & Bhima’s horrifying vow!

 

Karna went to Duryodhana & requested: O King! You should have Krpā, Krtvarmā, Asvattāma and other great warriors attack Arjun first. After he becomes exhausted from fighting, it will be easy for me to kill him

 

In the fierce battle that followed, Arjun quickly killed Asvattāma’s horses & broke Duryodhana’s bow, killed Krtvarmā’s horses and drove back Krpā with thousands of arrows. Arjun then avoided these warriors & went to where Bhima was furiously combating a large section of Kaurav army. Arjun soon put the Kauravas to flight & then informed Bhima that Maharāj Yudhisthira was alive & well

 

After Arjun left, ten Dhārtarāshtrās suddenly rushed at Bhima, but they were quickly deprived of their heads. He then went alone on foot. While ranging over the battlefield, mace in hand, he crushed to death 1000’s of enemy soldiers

 

Dushasana rushed at Bhima, but the son of Vāyu quickly broke his bow & pierced his forehead with an arrow. He then cut off his driver’s heads so that Dushasana had to take the reins. After picking up another bow, Dushasana released a powerful arrow that pierced Bhima deeply, making him fall to the floor of his chariot

 

Bhima soon recovered, but when he picked up his bow to resume fighting, Dushasana broke it to pieces & continued piercing him with more arrows. Becoming greatly agitated, Bhima retaliated by hurling a spear & when Dushasana skillfully broke it, all the Kaurava warriors applauded him

 

This was intolerable for Bhima & in a fit of rage he challenged: O Dushasana, you wretch, today I will drink your blood after you have fallen mortally wounded on the battlefield. After saying this Bhima picked up a huge mace while Dushasana hurled a spear. When Bhima threw his club, it deflected the onrushing spear & then landed on Dushasana’s head, throwing him off his chariot a distance of ten bow lengths. As the mace proceeded to kill his horses & smash his chariot, Dushasana lay wounded upon the ground, writhing in agony, his ornaments & garlands in disarray

 

While gazing at him in this wretched condition, Bhima remembered how Dushasana had dragged Draupadi into the assembly of Kurus & tried to disrobe her. Blazing with terrible rage, Bhima announced: O Duryodhana, Karna, Krpā, Asvattāma, and other Kaurava warriors, I will now kill Dushasana & anyone who dares try to protect him!

 

After saying this Bhima jumped from his chariot & rushed to where Dushasana lay on the ground. Lifting his terrible sword, Bhima first placed his foot upon Dushasana’s throat. Then, while trembling with rage, he tore open Dushasana’s chest with his nails & drank the hot blood as it gushed from the wound. After fulfilling his vow, Bhima violently threw Dushasana’s lifeless body back & sliced off his head with his sword

 

Bhima laughed hideously & said: O wretch, what more can I do, for death has already rescued you from my clutches

 

The Kaurava warriors who saw Bhima drink Dushasana’s blood became almost mad with fear & ran away in all directions, others became stunned & fell to ground unconscious

 

The rage which had built up in Bhima for so long found its way in the horrible end of Dushasana. Hatred begets hatred and all unwanted actions warrant similar results. Disrobing an honorable lady & molesting her in public showed Dushasana had no fear for the law of the land – such a brazen act asked for such a horrendous end. That was perversion of catastrophic proportion. If the protectors of society become predators, then such a person’s end should set an example for others to never repeat such an act

 

Horrifying vows need to be seen in light of the horrific deed done in the past. Evil actions have consequences & the punishment has to be exemplary. It was a response to something which was far more unconscionable. The act of drinking blood was to win the mental war with Kauravas, more important than the physical war.

 

Huge lessons! 

Thoughts? #gameoflife