THE MAHABHARATAM : 14.continued - Swami Advayananda Acharyaji.

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Friday, May 06, 2022. 21:00.

Prelude to the Bhagavad Geeta :

Meditation on the Bhagavad Geeta.

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18 Episodes : 

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Episode 1: How the Writing Began

Episode 2: The Story of Bhishma

Episode 3: Amba Seeks Revenge on Bhishma

Episode 4: The Story of Vidhura

Episode 5: The Story of Queen Kunti

Episode 6: The Young Princes Grow Up Together 

Episode 7: The Development of Karna 

Episode 8: The “Wax Palace”

Episode 9: The Pandavas Enjoy Some Peace!

Episode 10: Draupadi’s Swayamwaram

Episode 11: The Pandavas Settle in Indraprastham

Episode 12: The “Gambling Match”

Episode 13 : The De-Robing of Draupadi 

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Episode 14: The Twelve Years in Exile : Continued ....

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The Kauravas Routed by Gandharvas: While the Pandavas were making the best use

of their exile, the wicked Shakuni was itching to see how they would be suffering. Strange –

the wicked cannot enjoy even their leisure for too long! Shakuni was saying to Duryodhana,

“I want to go and see how they are suffering.” Such is the heart of the wicked.

Dhritarashtra would not allow them to go anywhere near the Pandavas. Karna then

gave the pretext that their cows were in Dvaita Vana (where the Pandavas were), and that

they would go to tend them. They had work to do. For this Dhritarashtra agreed. Their real

purpose was just to see the Pandavas suffer.

The Kauravas went to set up their camp at Dvaita Vana. They found that Chitrasena,

King of the Gandharvas, had already settled there. The Kaurava troupe attacked them.

Chitrasena defeated them. The Gandharvas gave a good beating to Duryodhana and his

party. Bhima was happy to get this news. He asked Yudhishthira if he could go to help

Chitrasena to finish the Kauravas off now itself.

Yudhisthira, who was Dharmaraj himself, had to pacify him. He said, “When an

outside party attacks us, remember we are not 5 but 105!” He meant that against an

external enemy they should still see the Kauravas as their own brothers. Such was

Yudhishthira’s heart. He sent Bhima and Arjuna to go and get Duryodhana and the others

released from Chitrasena’s army. Duryodhana, totally humiliated by this act from the

Pandavas, was released. His pride was injured. He wished he had died, but Bhima saved him.

Duryodhana’s Request to Durvasa: At this time, one day Durvasa visited

Duryodhana, who took very good care of the Rishi. He did a great job of looking after the

Rishi and his entourage – but he had an ulterior motive.

Durvasa, being pleased with the service, gave Duryodhana a boon.

Now we see how cunning Duryodhana was. He wanted to get this boon from

Durvasa so that he could destroy the Pandavas. This is what was on his mind. He asked

Durvasa to pay a visit to the Pandavas; to go there at an odd time, when they have just had

lunch; to go there with a large group of his followers. His objective was that the Pandavas

would then be unprepared for Durvasa’s visit, and would incur his wrath, and the Rishi

would then curse them.

“Crookedness personified” was Duryodhana!

Draupadi welcomed the Rishi and his group warmly, washing the Rishi’s feet. The

Rishi said, they would just go to the river for their bath and come back for meals. Draupadi

knew her husbands were not in a position to provide anything. She called upon Krishna, who

came immediately His devotee called Him.

Imagine Draupadi’s frame of mind when Krishna said, “I am hungry, give me some

food”! Draupadi did not have anything. Krishna asked her to look inside the pot carefully.

Under the rim of the pot there was one grain of rice. Krishna put this in His mouth, and

chewed it for a long time, as if He was having a large meal. After the meal He even belched,

much to Draupadi’s consternation.

Then He asked to call Durvasa’s party. Draupadi had surrendered to Him, so she was

no longer concerned what would happen. When the guest party came, they were not

hungry anymore. The Rishi said, “We are feeling so full, we will just move on. We bless you

with joy and happiness.”

This is when Draupadi realized how Krishna rescued her. If He eats anything, it is for

all. He is the Life in all lives. If we feed Him, everyone gets fed. In this way we learn from

Draupadi’s surrender that the Lord takes care of us in ways we cannot imagine.

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Next

Episode 15:

The Thirteenth Year Incognito 

To be continued ....

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