The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam -7.

-

08/08/2018
The Role of Lord Sri Krishna in the Mahabharatam -7.
Swami Krishnananda
(Spoken on Sri Krishna Janmasthami in 1972)

Then Balarama got up. He was partial to Duryodhana because he was a Guru of Duryodhana.  He got up and said, “Well, I fully agree that the Pandavas should regain their kingdom, but we should not hurt Duryodhana; we should not displease him in any manner. He is also a friend of ours – a brother, an honourable ruler; and if the Pandavas have lost their kingdom, it is of their own fault, and no fault of Duryodhana. So I do not suggest any kind of insulting or pain-giving attitude on the part of people here. This is my advice. Very cautiously, amicably, the matter should be settled.”

Satyaki got up and said, “Birds of the same feather flock together. I understand the partiality of Balarama to Duryodhana. It is most unbecoming of a hero like Balarama to speak like this when the poor brothers have eaten humble pie in the jungle. We shall not be satisfied with anything short of a war.” Then there is a very lengthy process of argument and counter-argument, suggestion and counter-suggestio6n, and so on and so forth.

Finally it was decided that a messenger be sent to Duryodhana: “My dear friend, the brothers have come back. You give the portion due to them.” A Brahmin who knew how to speak was sent. But the reply from Duryodhana was curt and cutting. “Nothing doing!” he said. “They are due nothing. Go back and tell them.”

Well, this was the news they received back. And then, in turn, Dhirtarasthra sent a messenger in the form of Sanjaya. “Sanjaya, you go and tell the Pandavas we shall not be cowed down by a show of their powers or their threats, and war is the only solution. If they have power, let them show their strength.”

That portion of the Udyoga Parva is very interesting as a piece of literature, as a piece of poetry, an artistic presentation of ideas, a glorification of divinity, and many other interesting things. Sanjaya’s message is conveyed, which is very unpleasant and most unjust, which made out in the end that the Pandavas are not to be given anything. And then another messenger needed to be sent from the side of Yudhisthira to the Kauravas to finally settle the matter: “Is war essential, or can we get on without it?”.

To be continued ...


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

42. THE ENCHANTED POOL :

-
Image
THE stipulated period of twelve years was drawing to a close. One day, a deer was rubbing itself against a poor brahmana's fire-kindling mortar and as it turned to go, the mortar got entangled in its horns and the affrighted animal fled wildly with it into the forest. In those days matches were unknown and fire was kindled with pieces of wood by mechanical friction. "Alas! The deer is running away with my fire-kindler. How can I perform the fire sacrifice?" shouted the brahmana and rushed towards the Pandavas for help in his extremity. The Pandavas pursued the animal but it was a magic deer, which sped in great leaps and bounds, decoying the Pandavas far into the forest and then disappeared. Worn out by the futile chase, the Pandavas sat in great dejection under a banyan tree. Nakula sighed: "We cannot render even this trifling service to the brahmana. How we have degenerated!" said he sadly. Bhima said: "Quite s
Read more

The Mahabharatam : The Greatness of the Epic -1.

-
Image
14/02/2018 The Mahabharatam : 1. The Greatness of the Epic - 1. MAHABHARATAM—the very mention of the name gives a thrill of holy ideas. This is a great epic heroic poem. It contains one hundred thousand verses. It contains the essence of all scriptures. It is an encyclopaedia of ethics, knowledge, politics, religion, philosophy and Dharma. If you cannot find anything here, you cannot find it anywhere else. It contains eighteen Parvas or sections viz., Adi Parva, Sabha Parva, Vana Parva, Virata Parva, Udyoga Parva, Bhishma Parva, Drona Parva, Karna Parva, Shalya Parva, Sauptika Parva, Stree Parva, Shanti Parva, Anushasana Parva, Asvamedha Parva, Ashramavasika Parva, Mausala Parva, Mahaprasthanika Parva and Swargarohanika Parva. Each Parva contains many sub-Parvas or subsections. This wonderful book was composed by Sri Vyasa (Krishna Dvaipayana) who was the grandfather of the heroes of the epic. He taught this epic to his son Suka and his disciples Vaisampayana and oth
Read more

5. DEVAYANI AND KACHA:

-
Image
5. DEVAYANI AND KACHA: -------------------------------------------- IN ancient times, there was a bitter struggle between the devas or gods and the asuras or demons for the lordship of the three worlds. Both belligerents had illustrious preceptors. Brihaspati who was pre-eminent in the knowledge of the Vedas was the guiding spirit of the devas, while the asuras relied on Sukracharya's profound wisdom. The asuras had the formidable advantage that Sukracharya alone possessed the secret of Sanjivini which could recall the dead to life. Thus the asuras who had fallen in the battle were brought back to life, time and again, and continued their fight with the devas. The devas were thus at a great disadvantage in their long drawn-out war with their natural foes. They went to Kacha, the son of Brihaspati, and besought his aid. They begged him to win his way into the good graces of Sukracharya and persuade him to take him as a pupil. Once admitted to intima
Read more