bhishma-stuthi-19

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srimathE lakshmi-nrsumha parabrahmaNE namaha

sri vedanta guravE namaha

 

Dear "bhAgavatOttamA-s",

 

On the 9th evening of the Kurukshetra War it was the turn of the Pandava-

generals to sit around their camp-fires, wring their hands in despair and mope.

 

Yudhishtra, Bheema and Arjuna and their generals were completely

"shell-shocked" by the havoc they'd just witnessed the mighty Bhishma cause

amongst their ranks that day.

 

They collectively took inventory of troop-casualties and found they'd

suffered huge losses.

 

There was nothing else to do but lick wounds. Never before had they been

more traumatised by a reverse in battle !

 

After a long session of soul-searching, which then ensued, into why the

battle had so dramatically and adversely turned against them, Yudhishtra

spoke, "This war cannot be won by us as long as Bhishma, our beloved

"pitA-mahar", remains Supreme Commander of the Kaurava forces. What do you

all think ?".

 

With downcast heads Yudhishtra's brothers and generals agreed .

 

Yudhishtra then said, "There's only one way to get around this. "Eliminate"

our beloved BhishmAchArya-r".

 

"Aye,", replied the generals, "but the question is how do we do it ? You saw

yourself the way the old warrior fought today ! He seems quite invincible!",

they cried.

 

Yudhishtra calmly responded, "I have a way out."

 

The Pandava generals looked amazed.

 

Yudhishtra explained, "A short while ago before this war started, I'd sought

Bhishma's support in this war. He was at pains to explain to me why he was

duty-bound to fight on behalf of the Kauravas and why he couldn't stand by

our side.

 

"The great soul, however, promised me one thing.... "Yudhishtra, although I

cannot fight beside you", he said to me then, "let me assure you my whole-

hearted blessings are with you and your brothers. You are all no less dear

to me than Hastinapur. If ever you want proof of that, my dear child,

hesitate not, even for a moment, to come and seek my counsel at any time you

think you need it during this war. I shall never fail to give you good

advice although I'm sorry I cannot lend you my fighting arm!".

 

Yudhishtra continued,"I think it's time to take Bhishma up on the word he

gave me. At a moment when defeat seems to be staring at us its better I

approach Sri.BhishmAchArya-r and seek his wise counsel. I'm sure he'll have

a few ideas on the conduct this war. "

 

Some of the assembled generals were astounded by this statement of

Yudhishtra. They voiced their skepticism.

 

"Sir, are you saying you'll seek the advice of the enemy Supreme Commander

on tomorrow's battle strategy ??!!"

 

"Yes, indeed", replied Yudhishtra.

 

"You must be out of your mind to do such a preposterous thing. Why it's like

going and asking a ferocious lion for tips to de-fang it !!"

 

Yudhishtra was firm. "I know the heart of that great soul, Bhishma" he said,

"better than anyone else in all of Hastinapur. If that wise and revered soul

has promised me good counsel then, believe me, true and good counsel is what

I will receive in full measure !".

 

"Let's seek Sri.Bhishma's audience immediately," he commanded .

 

His brothers and generals all followed him into the night towards the

Kaurava camp where Bhishma's tent was pitched.

 

************************************

 

Many of our "AchAryA-s", commentating on this particular "scene" in the

Mahabharatha, draw our attention at this point in the epic to the vast and

sharp contrast between the respective "attitude" DuryOdhana and Yudhishtra

displayed towards the great BhishmAchAryA-r.

 

The former, for whom Bhishma fought faithfully, never reposed full

confidence in his own duly appointed Supreme Military Commander. In fact he

suspected (alongwith Karna) Bhishma's real loyalties lay elsewhere. He was

tempted to even resent the old man's presence at the head of the War Council.

 

Yudhishtra, however, though an "enemy", had nothing less than complete faith

in the good judgment and counsel of BhishmAchArya-r. So full was his faith

in BhishmA's "dhArm-ic" nature that he did not hesitate even for a moment to

go the Supreme Commander of the enemy forces to consult with him on how to

conduct a war which the Pandavas suddenly seemed to be losing grip of!

 

Yudhishtra was so absolutely sure Bhishma would not refuse him good counsel

and, at the same time, neither would the old warrior compromise his own

moral position vis-a-vis the Kauravas.

 

This difference between Yudhishtra and Duryodhana in their attitudes to

BhishmAchAryar is one of the most inexplicable ironies in the 'Mahabharatha'

 

But then, isn't all human life full of tragic irony ?

 

A question that we may now ask ourselves, however, is this :

 

By offering "military advice/intelligence" to Yudhishtra on the 9th night

of the Kurukshetra War, wasn't Sri.Bhishma really committing a grave act of

treachery to the Kauravas ?

 

Wasn't this exactly what Duryodhana and Karna had, in fact, a day earlier,

suspected and accused him of ? Wasn't the great "dharmAtmA" guilty of an act

of "a-dharmA" ... a most grievous lapse of ethics ?

 

Let's try and examine that sticky moral issue in the next post for it has

some bearing (as we shall see later) in the appreciation of the message of

the "bhishma-stuthi".

 

srimathe srivan satagopa sri narayana yathindra mahadesikaya namaha

sudarshan