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Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

 

Divine grace bestows success

 

CHENNAI, MARCH 10. When a person is blessed with Divine grace he

can succeed in an enterprise by surmounting obstacles. While

other requisites which are necessary to accomplish the task have

to be also fulfilled, the clinching fact in ensuring success is

God's grace. The scriptural texts are replete with instances of

how those who were devoted to God and reposed total faith in His

dispensation had the enduring grace of the Lord to help them over

setbacks in their lives and developed the strength of mind to

face the vicissitudes of life.

 

The Mahabharata portrays this truth through the lives of the

Pandavas and Kauravas. During the Mahabharata war Duryodana's

army consisted of valiant warriors like Bheeshma, Drona and Karna

but the Pandavas had an advantage over the Kauravas because they

were fortunate to have Lord Krishna on their side, who assumed

the role of Arjuna's charioteer. This was a singular instance of

His grace which protected them in the battlefield.

 

Karna intuited this formidable edge Arjuna had when the mantle of

leading the Kaurava army fell on his shoulders after the fall of

Bheeshma and Drona. When Duryodana sought Karna and expressed his

wish to make him the commander of his army he was overjoyed as

this was the moment he had been waiting for all along in his life

- to repay the debt of gratitude and love which he owed

Duryodana. With all eagerness he accepted the responsibility and

the 16th day of the great war raged fiercely with heavy losses on

both the sides but nothing significant transpired.

 

In his discourse, Sri S. B. Kalyanarama Bhattachariar said when

Duryodana and Karna took stock of the situation that night Karna

pointed out that Arjuna had a decisive edge over him which had to

be set right to ensure their success. Both were equally matched.

But he cautioned, ``Now I will tell you why Arjuna is superior to

me. His bow is divine and his quivers are inexhaustible. Arjuna's

chariot is also divine. His horses are divine and his banner has

the great Hanuman presiding over it. Krishna, the protector of

the universe, is holding the reins of his horses. These three

things make him the superior fighter... I have no good

charioteer. If I have Salya as my charioteer, I am sure to win

the war.''

 

Karna knew in his heart of hearts that Arjuna would win with

Krishna on his side but this did not deter him from doing the

best possible under the circumstances. His sense of duty and

gratitude to Duryodana gave him the right frame of mind to fight

but he was wise enough to know that he would lose.

 

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