Introduction to the Bhagavad-Gita- Part 2: Post-3: Swami Krishnananda.

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Friday 09, Aug 2024, 06:40.
Article
Scriptures
Introduction to the Bhagavadgita: Part 2.
POST-3.
Swami Krishnananda
(Spoken on March 17th, 1974)

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Now, the whole dramatic scene opens with the entry of King Duryodhana, who was the de facto king because Dhritarashtra was blind and he was a ruler only from the point of view of law. Duryodhana pompously enters the field of this anxious situation, and in a language which is outwardly forceful and confident, he secretly expressed the hidden diffidence in his heart and the fear of what was ahead because he was not sure as to the strength of his own army, though he openly spoke that his army was far stronger than the army of the Pandavas. In number it was stronger. Eleven akshauhinis constituted the army of the Kauravas, and only seven formed the army of the Pandavas, so naturally we have to say that the Kaurava forces were larger; therefore, it should be more difficult to face them. But Duryodhana had his own feelings of doubt in his mind. In every task or situation in human life, it is not merely the number that counts. There are other factors involved.

There was a set of warriors with Duryodhana who were practically invincible. That was the courage of Duryodhana, and that was also what led him to the war. He depended wholeheartedly on a few personalities who were regarded at that time as impossible of approach in war, particularly Bhishma, Drona and Karna. They were the chief men on the Kaurava side. They were terrible persons who were masters of the art of fighting, and were so dexterous in war that millions could not face even one of them.

Therefore, Duryodhana confidently approached his master, Acharya Drona, and began to explain to him. “Great sire, look at this mighty army of ours. Look at this also, the army of the Pandavas on the other side. Rājā vacanam abravīt (BG 1.2) is what the Gita tells us. The king began to speak. It was not the disciple who spoke to Guru Drona, it was the ego that spoke. Duryodhana was made up of such a force of self-affirmation and self-assertion that it would be visible in every one of his words and actions. The king that the person Duryodhana was approached Acharya Drona, and began to describe the quantity and the quality of the armies of either side. His intention was to make clear the relative strength of the two forces.

This had already been done much earlier in the court of Duryodhana, and now he was doing it again. He was not sure, so he asked Bhishma. Even before people came to the field and arrayed themselves, one day Duryodhana approached the great grandsire Bhishma and said, “Master, what is your opinion about the relative merits and demerits of the two forces?”

Bhishma said, “Well, it is a very simple matter. You have a large army of eleven akshauhinis; the poor Pandavas have much less, only seven. But as you have put this question to me, there are certain things which I would like to tell you about the merits, or the relative strength, of the two armies. Strength does not depend only on number, O Duryodhana. Strength also depends upon moral force, righteousness that is behind the action and, ultimately, the factor of providence also comes, which, in my opinion, has been favouring the Pandavas all the time, for reasons which should be clear even to you. You may ask me what is my strength, on which perhaps you depend entirely. Yes, I am ready to lay my life for your sake. I have eaten your salt. But I will not kill even one of the Pandavas. They are dear to me, as you have been dear to me. Not one of the five brothers will be killed by me. Anybody else may face me and I will meet them, but if the brothers come and attack me, I will not kill them even if I can.”

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Continued

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