Bhisma Pitamaha and Draupadi - an episode !

[Guest guest]

advaitin , " dhyanasaraswati "

<dhyanasaraswati wrote:

>

> this story was taken from the following website

>

> http://www.purebhakti.com/lectures/lecture20000120am.shtml

>

> So, what is the message of this story ?

>

> YES! Was Bhishma being 'adharmic' when he did not raise his voice

> against the kauravas ?

>

> not really ! as per laws of Dharma 'one must be true to one's

> salt ' and one cannot cut the hand that feeds you ! Therefore ,

> Bhisma had to be loyal to the Kauravas as he was serving them!

> Bhisma's real love was for the TRUTH AND DHARMA THAT THE PANDAVAS

> REPRESENTED BUT HE WAS HELPLESS A LONG AS bHSMA WAS SERVING THE

> DEMONUIC kAURAVAS!

>

> once he was nearing his DEATH , Bhisma clearly knew that he need

> not be anymore be loyal to the KAURAVAS - now, he was no longer

> woorried about keeping up his promises he made - his only desire

> at the time of death was to attain moksha at the lotus feet of

> lord krishna !

 

Hope Bhishma forgives me, but I disagree with his reasoning!

If Bhishma's real love was for Truth and Dharma, then he would

not have hesitated to speak up when Draupadi was being disrobed,

even if it meant turning himself against Kauravas- like Vibhishana

did when Ravana did not heed his words.

 

I believe the reason, notwithstanding what Bhishma 'supposedly'

told (according to the narration you quoted), is his determination

to abide by his own vow to protect Kauravas. Clearly, keeping his

word, that too that was given hastily, meant more important to him

than his life, and also what he himself knew as Truth and Dharma!

Also, precisely for that error of ommission, not commission, he

seems to have chosen himself, to pay the immense price of terrible

pain of lying on arrow-bed, to get over his own sense of guilt.

 

In this regard, I recall the words of Swami Satchidanandaji,

which made deep impression on me. He quoted a verse from Tirukkural,

which unfortunately, I don't know, but which states very simply

that Dharma is an act that brings no harm to any one and some good

to some one. And he said, as long as those two conditions are met:

(i) no harm to any one and (ii) some benefit to some one, then

one can perform ANY act whatsoever, including telling lies!

That " any one " includes one self too!

 

He narrated a parable. When a robber was chasing a woman wearing

gold ornaments in a forest, the woman hided herself in a hut of a

sage performing penance and who also took the vow of speaking

truth. In short while, the robber entered the hut and saw the sage

and asked him, if he saw any woman come that way! Even robber knew

the sage was renowned for his truth-speaking vow! The sage replied,

enigmatically, " how can the seeing eyes tell, and how can speaking

tongue see! " . Thinking the sage was saying some weird philosophy,

robber went forward in his search of the target! Swamiji concluded,

that by not saying hurtful truth, he saved three lives.

 

Because, had he spoken the straight truth, robber would have killed

the woman, and probably killed the sage too to avoid leaving a

witness. Furthermore, when got caught, the robber himself would

have been killed for his crime. So one thoughtless truth would have

costed three lives. But by his thoughtful response, the sage

saved three lives.

 

There is no doubt the Bharata story would have taken totally

different turn if Bhishma was more thoughtful in his responses,

than blindly abiding by his vow. Another moral is probably not to

hastily take a vow. Better, not to take such a thoughtless vow in

first place!

 

Hari Om!

-Srinivas

[Guest guest]

Sriniji!

 

Thanks for your line of reasoning. However , who are we to judge

these mythological characters? After all, the Kurukshetra war was

not conducted in the most 'dharmic' manner. i am not by any means

saying that Bhisma's conduct was not above reproach but how would

you describe the war tactics employed by Lord Krishna in the war

against the Kauravas ? For example , how would you justify Lord

Krishna making Shikandi ( a enunch - half man-half woman) as a

humanshield for Arjuna against Bhisma pitamaha in the battlefield .

Lord Krishna knew very well that Bhishma pitamaha would never strike

a 'woman' or engaze in any combat with a woman (shikandi) .. To keep

his vow , Bhisma refused to fight and was defeated by Arjuna. It is

said, all is fair in love and war. For Lord Krishna , the ends

justified the means - After all , Lord Krishna was establishing the

Higher dharma!

 

Let me ask you a couple of questions.

 

1) why would Yudhistra pay a game of Dice and indulge in a vice

like 'gambling'? AFTER ALL, YUDDHISTRA WAS KNOWN AS AN UPHOLDER OF

TRUTH AND DHARMA . GAMBLING IS A TAMASIC ACTIVITY.

 

2) SECONDLY , Why would Yusdhistra pawn away Draupadi, who was not

only his wife but she was also the wife of his four brothers? First

of all , she is not a property to be pawned away ! Secondly, he did

not have sole ownership of her.

 

3) why were the pandavas watching helplessly when Dusshasana was

disrobing Daraupadi openly in the court ? what prebvented them from

rescueing her ? Did dharma take a break then? it is the duty of a

husband to protect the wife - Draupadi had five not one like the

rest of us.

 

4)Bhisma pitamaha is not an 'ordinary character in the Mahabharata.

In his heart of hearts , his empathy was with the pandavas only,

Only because Bhisma pitamaha had taken a vow that he will not

interefre in the running of the day to day affairs of the state , he

could not interefere ! i don't think Bhisma pitamaha had any

interest in material wealth otherwise he would have married 'Amba'

WHO LATER ON BECAME 'SHIKANDI' TO TAKE REVENGE ON BHISMA PITAMAHA.

 

These are all fictional characters. bUT THE MAIN POINT OF THE

mAHABHARATA IS IF THESE ISSUES WERE NOT THERE , THERE WOULD NOT HAVE

BEEN A KURUKSHETRA WAR ! we would not have a scripture like the

Srimad Bhagvata Gita also.

 

thanks for the story you narrated. Very interesting .

 

love and blessings

 

ps btw -you please read Bhisma sthuti - it is a beautiful hymn of

advaitic bhakti!

 

advaitin , " Srinivas Nagulapalli "

<srini_nagul wrote:

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