Thought of the week: Instructions by Bhismadeva to Yudhisthira

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At 19/08/01, you wrote:

>

>At 19/08/01, you wrote:

> >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.

> >

> >------- x ------------- x ---------- x ----------- x ---------- x

> ---------- x

> >---------- x -----------

> >

> >----- 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)

> >

> >*** NOTE: All times are for Washington D.C, USA, EST ***

> >For festival information for your city please go to

> >http://www.iskcondc.org and

> >click on 'Calendar'

> >-------

> ---------------------------

> >

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>Haribol

>

>I am away for a while. I will respond as soon as I return

>

>Ananta

Haribol

 

I am away for a while. I will respond as soon as I return

 

Ananta