Introduction to the Bhagavad-Gita- Part 2: Post-4: Swami Krishnananda.

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Friday 16, Aug 2024, 06:40.
Article
Scriptures
Introduction to the Bhagavadgita: Part 2.
POST-4.
Swami Krishnananda
(Spoken on March 17th, 1974)

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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.”

This was very displeasing to Duryodhana. What is the good of this man? He is telling it now itself. He made a wry face, and went away from there. He did not want to hear anything further. He came again, and with the heart of a thief that he really was, spoke again his diffidence, his sorrow, his anxiety, to Bhishma. “Please tell me where we actually stand.”

Bhishma again said, “On the side of the Pandavas there is great enthusiasm, encouragement and support from forces which are not merely human. Superhuman forces seem to be favouring them.”

We read in the Aranya Parva of the Mahabharata how Arjuna performed tapas and could please even Mahadeva, Lord Siva, and he had obtained Pasupata from Lord Siva. He went to Indraloka and met all the celestials and received from them the boon, the blessings of all divine mystical weapons.

Bhishma continued, “And above all, I have a great fear, Duryodhana, that as long as this Krishna is on the other side, it will be difficult for us to do anything.”

“Why?” Duryodhana asked. “Are you less in any way?”

“You will see it in due course. You yourself will see what is going to happen,” replied Bhishma.

Drona also said, “I will not kill the Pandavas. They are my own children; they have been my disciples. Will I kill them?”

It was only Karna who said, “Don't bother. Everything will be all right.”

Then there was a very heated conversation between Bhishma and Karna when Karna made the remark. “Don't bother, we shall see to it.” When Karna spoke like this, Bhishma stood up and could not bear this anymore. He said, “Duryodhana, if you depend on braggarts of this kind, your life is going to end very shortly. I know this Karna from the very beginning. What strength as he got? You depend on him? If you want to survive, don't listen to his words.”

He spoke this in the presence of Karna, in the court of the Kauravas. Karna got wrath and stood up and said, “As long as this wrinkled face is here, I will not come to this hall again, and I shall not come to the field as long as Bhishma is alive. He has insulted me publicly like this.” He walked away to his house and never came back afterwards.

These fights were going on even previously; it is not only these days that we see it. He called him a wrinkled face and went away, and you know the feeling of Duryodhana. What a pity! The war has not started, and the quarrel has taken place now itself in the house.

Karna stuck to his word. Until the fall of Bhishma on the tenth day, Karna did not come. “I will not come because you have made Bhishma the generalissimo. You have faith in him. All right, you manage. I shall see later on,” he said, and went.

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Continued

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