Thought of the week: Instructions by Bhismadeva to Yudhisthira

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The Shanti-parva of Mahabharata, the section that immediately follows the great

war of Kuruksetra, is replete with many instructions by Bhismadeva on morality

and religiosity. The end of the war in which practically the entire armies of

both the Pandavas and the Kauravas were annhilated, bought forth great grief

and remorse from the compassionate Yudhisthira. Considering his selfish desire

to regain his kingdom as the root cause of the deaths of so many people, he

becomes bitterly remorseful and confused about his duty. At this time Lord

Krishna advises him to seek instructions from the Bhishmadeva who had been

lying on a bed of arrows, waiting for an auspicious time to give up his life.

 

Thus is set the scene of the historic conversation betwen Bhismadeva, who

occupies the exalted position of being one of the twelve Mahajans, persons with

perfect understanding of the Vedic scriptures and Maharaja Yudhisthira, the son

of Dharamaraja (the personification of religiosity) and himself a very learned

and religious person. The conversation between these two greatly exalted

personalities provide priceless gems of wisdom for us to savor and absorb.

 

Bhismadeva supports and illustrates most of his instructions with pastimes from

the Puranas and Vedic injunctions, which have not been presented here for the

sake of brevity. Although Yudhisthira's questions are personal, pertaining to

himself in the role of a king, it is understood that they are universally

applicable and ultimately for our benefit.

 

Dealing with distress

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

Yudhisthira then inquired, "Please tell me what should be done when falls into

so much distress that he is attacked not only by his enemies but also his

friends?"

Bhisma replied, "A person who has great presence of mind and foresight earns

happiness whereas the procrastinator meets with destruction. It is only due to

time and circumstance and nothing else that one becomes a friend or enemy. So a

person who can intelligently act accordingly, by sometimes rejecting so-called

friends and some time befriending so-called enemies is far superior to one who

simply has presence of mind or foresight."

 

Bhisma then instructed Yudhisthira on the matter of trust. "A father and mother

can be trusted naturally, but friends and companions need to be constantly

rewarded to secure their trust. Animosity arises out of five causes: women,

wealth, harsh words, natural incompatibility and injury. Animosity, once

created, will always lie dormant in the heart, just as fire is in wood. Once

ignited they can not be extinguished unless one of the parties is destroyed.

Therefore one must never trust a person he has animosity with, despite

assurances to the contradictory, for such animosity lingers for a very long

time."

 

Yudhisthira inquired, "What should one do after having lost all prosperity?"

Bhisma replied, "One who has fallen into a very distressed condition of life,

bereft of friends, families, wealth and reputation, should practice fortitude

and not give way to grief in any circumstance. Indulgence in grief destroys

one's beauty, duration of life. prosperity and virtue. One who constantly

dwells on his misfortune looses all enthusiasm, mental equilibrium and bodily

strength, and thus meets total defeat. On the other hand if a distressed person

remains fixed and undisturbed, he can easily regain his position when the next

opportunity arises."

 

Yudhisthira inquired, "My dear Bhisma, what are the various kinds of

activities?"

Bhisma said, "One's greatest enemy is idleness. On the other hand one should

not act feverishly or blindly. Everything should be done with the proper means.

Since success depends on using one's good intelligence, tasks accompanied by

the mind is considered to be the best. Those done by the hands are mediocre and

those by the feet inferior. The lowest is the task of carrying heavy loads."

 

Importance of self-control

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

Yudhisthira inquired, "How should one react to people who insult you by their

rudeness and arrogance?"

Bhisma replied, "If one does not become angry when insulted by another, then he

takes away all the pious merit that person may have accumulated by good deeds.

In addition he transfers to the abuser his own sinful reactions. After all what

is the value of praise or blame when uttered by a vulgar fool? A person who

praises some one in his presence but criticizes him behind his back is no

better that a dog."

 

Yudhisthira, "How should one debate with an unscrupulous person?"

Bhisma replied, "In a debate the tactics of a truthful person are limited, but

a deceitful person can utilize any abominable method. However if the truthful

person were to use the same tactics as his opponent, he will find himself at a

greater disadvantage, for he is acting contrary to his nature. Therefore a

truthful and honest person should always avoid an argument with an unscrupulous

person."

 

Yudhisthira then inquired, "How should one behave towards a more powerful

enemy?"

Bhisma replied, "Even though the swift current of the river can uproot and

carry huge trees, the canes survive since they bend with the current. Similarly

in order to survive an enemy more powerful, one must yield while staying firmly

anchored to the roots."

 

Yudhisthira inquired, "What should a weak person do if out of foolishness and

pride he provokes a powerful enemy?"

Bhisma replied, "O King, the weaker person must repent and thus appease the

stronger enemy."

 

Yudhisthira inquired, "What is the origin of all sin?"

Bhisma replied, "Greed, the hankering to posses more than one's naturally

ordained quota is the origin of all sin. The desire to posses that which

belongs to another is insatiable and gives rise to anger, lust, loss of

judgment, arrogance, miserliness, lack of compassion, enviousness, mistrust and

many other evils. Ignorance is made up of the same material as greed, though if

analyzed it can be seen that ignorance also comes from greed. As one's greed

increases, his ignorance also becomes more dense."

 

Yudhisthira inquired, "What produces the highest merit?"

Bhisma replied, "Self-restraint surpasses all other activities in this regard

and is therefore considered to be the highest virtue. Because self-restraint

purifies and controls every aspect of one's life it is more important than

giving in charity and the study of the Vedas. By self-restraint alone one can

achieve liberation from the material world. Self-restraint comprises

sense-control, freedom from anger, non-enviousness, impartiality, truthfulness,

steadiness and contentment. However, the essential quality of self-restraint is

austerity. Thus no good can be achieved without austerity."

 

Yudhisthira then inquired, "O Bhisma, is there any rule that should never be

violated under any condition?"

Bhisma replied. "The worship of true brahmans and giving them all kinds of

respect must never be given up under any circumstance"

 

Supreme duty of life

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

Yudhisthira inquired, "Since time seems to destroy everything, what should be

sought after?"

Bhisma replied, "One should seek to determine the supreme duty of life. One

should not live in ignorance throughout the life, thinking that only in old-age

real this knowledge may be cultivated. Death can snatch us at any time and

one's life may be finished before one's mission is fulfilled. Thus from the

earliest time, one should endeavor to embark on the supreme duty of life."

 

Yudhisthira inquired, "My dear Bhisma, please describe to me the supreme duty

of life, and the results which are obtained by its performance?"

Bhisma replied, "My dear Yudhisthira, religious duties are numerous and diverse

and the correct performance of any one of them will never be futile. But,

dedication to the path of self-realization is the supremely religious duty that

stands above all others. The realization that all things in the material world

are temporary and thus of no inherent value automatically results in a gradual

detachment from desires for material enjoyment. Such self-realization will

result in liberation from material bondage."

 

Yudhisthira inquired, "How can the grief of the loss of a loved one be

mitigated?"

Bhisma replied, "By realizing that the you yourself are as much an object of

pity as the person who has departed, for soon others will also lament your

death. The material body of a person changes every seven years and that is

never a cause of lamentation, just as the growth from infancy to youth and

old-age is not lamented upon. The understanding that the real person, the cause

of the consciousness in the inert, changeable material body never dies will

mitigate all pains."

 

Yudhisthira inquired, "My dear Bhisma, you have described the path of

self-realization by liberation from material engagements. Is there anything

superior to this?"

Bhisma replied, "Krishna is the Supreme Lord of all demigods and the eternal

divine Purusa. He is the soul of all souls and the origin of everything. The

Supreme Personality of Godhead is achieved by means of unmotivated devotional

service and no other means. Those who serve Him out of supreme love achieve

residence in His abode, Goloka Vrindavana which is situated above all planets

in the spiritual sky. Those who are inspired by awe and reverence to serve Him

achieve the Vaikuntha loka also in the spiritual sky. Those who are absorbed in

the impersonal conception, after purifying themselves of all material

engangements, merge with the Brahmajyoti, the effulgence from the Lord's body.

However because senselessness and inactivity cannot sustain, there is every

chance they will fall down from here. But those who reach the superior

destinations of Vaikuntha and Goloka, reside there for eternity. That is the

highest path of self-realization."

 

Ref: Srila Vysadeva's Mahabharata summarized by Purnaprajna dasa.

 

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----- Festivals over the next week ------

Aug 23 2001, Thursday Appearance Srimati Sita Thakurani (Sri Advaita's

consort)

Lalita sasti

Aug 25 2001, Saturday Appearance Radhastami: of Srimati Radharani (Fast)

(Fasting till noon)

 

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