Commanders of the Kaurava army

[Guest guest]

Bhakta Gopal at gopal.iyfm inquired:

 

> In Mahabharata it is mentioned that Bhisma dev is the commander in chief

> of the Kauravas army. In Bhagavad-gita As It Is Srila Prabhupada (1.3

> purport) mentions Dronacarya as commander in chief. Can someone please

> explain this seeming contradiction?

 

Bhismadeva was commander for the first two days of the Kurukshetra war.

Mortally wounded, he then lay on a bed of arrows until the auspicious time

of departure. Karna and Duryodhana then chose Drona to lead the army in

Bhisma's place. So they were both commanders of the Kauravas.

[Guest guest]

> > In Mahabharata it is mentioned that Bhisma dev is the commander in chief

> > of the Kauravas army. In Bhagavad-gita As It Is Srila Prabhupada (1.3

> > purport) mentions Dronacarya as commander in chief. Can someone please

> > explain this seeming contradiction?

>

> Bhismadeva was commander for the first two days of the Kurukshetra war.

> Mortally wounded, he then lay on a bed of arrows until the auspicious time

> of departure. Karna and Duryodhana then chose Drona to lead the army in

> Bhisma's place. So they were both commanders of the Kauravas.

 

I think the unstated question is why Duryodhana approaches Dronacharya on

the first day of the battle instead of Bhishma, who was the actual general

of the army. One reason is that Bhishma had already stated to Duryodhana

that he would not kill the Pandavas, and as such Duryodhana partially

doubted his honesty in the battle, at least in regards to fighting the

pandavas. Another reason was because Drona was responsible for arranging the

vyuha that the Kaurava army would fight in. On the Pandava's side it was

Drona's own disciple who was arranging the Pandava's military formation, and

as such who else but his guru would be suitable for countering his moves.

 

Your servant,

 

Jahnava Nitai Das

Bhaktivedanta Ashram,

http://www.indiadivine.com

 

 

 

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