THE MAHABHARATAM : (in 18 Episodes) - PRELUDE to the Bhagavad Geeta : Episode 2 :

Chinmaya Mission :

Swami Swaroopananda, the Global head of Chinmaya Mission, recently visited Chinmaya Mission Delhi for a week-long event called "Soar to Success." 

Swamiji elucidated the Hanuman Chalisa and emphasized that while chanting the Hanuman Chalisa is very beneficial, its teaching and guidance must be followed and imbibed. 

Through Hanuman Chalisa one can learn about the qualities and virtues we must develop within ourselves which is the true secret to soar to success.

During this week additional sessions conducted by Swamiji were Corporate Seminar on Exceeding Excellence and inspired youth with a talk on the secret to soaring from being a Human to Hanuman.  

Swamiji left the Bala Vihar children mesmerized with his sweet story telling session. 

All in all Swamiji left the members, devotees and Yagna attendees of Chinmaya Mission Delhi rejuvenated.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2023. 07:30.

How the Writing Began :

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Episode 2
The Story of Bhishma

King Santanu had gone to the forest for a hunting expedition. There he saw a 

beautiful, bewitching maiden. Out came the question, “Would you marry me?” She was 

none other than Goddess Ganga but Santanu did not know that. She said she would marry 

him on condition that he should never ask her who she was, that he should never question 

her actions, and thirdly that he should never utter words that would pain her. Santanu 

agreed to all these conditions, and married her.

As time went by, child after child was placed into the Ganga, and Santanu was 

greatly grieved to see this but had to remain silent. Eventually when the 8th child was born, 

and was about to be consigned to Mother Ganga, it was too much for Santanu to bear and 

he burst out to question her heartlessness: “Stop! Who are you? And why are you doing 

this?”

The Goddess simply said, “My dear Aryaputra, it is time for me to leave you. My 

name is Ganga, I am Goddess Ganga.”

The babies were the Vasus who were cursed to be born as humans because they had 

tried to steal from Sage Vasishtha’s Ashram the Kamadenu cow, named Nandini, which 

could bestow anything one desired. Because they sought his forgiveness, Vasishtha said that 

when they are born they will die immediately and return to heaven – all except one of them,

who will lead a glorious life and be worshipped by all.

Mother Ganga then took that eighth child away, saying, “I will educate him and 

return him to you.”

Some years later, one day when Santanu had gone again to the forest, he saw a 

young lad with radiant luster. He had caused the mighty Ganges to retreat by building a 

“Dam of Arrows” shot one after the other into the Ganga. Santanu was dumbstruck at the 

sight. He asked the boy, “Son, who are you?”

Gangaji appeared and said that the boy was his own son, that his name was Devavrata, and that none equalled him in the art of archery. She said he was the best in 

statecraft, and would make a worthy successor. From then on the King lived a plain life and 

observed Brahmacharya. Devavrata, too, lived like his father in intense austerity.

One day Santanu smelt a divine fragrance waft in his direction. He searched for the 

source and came upon a lady. He dearly wished to marry her. She said, “I am a 

fisherwoman. My father is the king of our community. I shall take you to him.”

She took him to her father. The father placed a condition: “The son born to my 

daughter should become the king in due course.” Santanu could not say ‘Yes’ because Devavrata was in line to be the King. With pain he went back to the forest.

Devavrata saw the sorrow on his father’s face, and asked, “What is the matter, 

Father? Why are you so despondent?” The father told his son the whole story of his 

sadness. Devavrata went to the king of the fishermen and asked him, “Why do you not want 

to give your daughter to my father in marriage?” The king said, “You are the Prince, so my 

daughter’s son will not be king.” Devavrata then offered to turn down the kingship. The king

asked, “But what about your children? You will marry and have children who will be like 

lions. They will stand in line for the kingdom.” At once, without any hesitation Devavrata 

said, “No, I will not let children to be born from me, I will NOT MARRY, I will remain a 

Naishtik Brahmachari. Service to the nation is my Seva.”

At that moment the skies were rent by the thunderous sounds of “BHISHMA, 

Bhishma, Bhishma!!! The skies poured forth flowers to honour such a great vow. Henceforth 

Devavrata became known as Bhishma, owing to his extraordinary vow of celibacy.

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Next
Episode 3 :
Amba Seeks Revenge on Bhishma :

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