In the previous episode we were discussing the strange behavior of Bhishma. On one hand he was all for the Pandavas. But at the same time, he was hell bent on vanquishing them by siding with their opponent. Why?
Let us dig a bit into Bhishma’s past.
Bhishma was the son of Santanu and Ganga. His actual name was Devavrita.
Santanu was a king in the Bharata dynasty. He married a celestial maid Ganga who had taken birth in human form on earth to fulfil her promise to eight divine beings called Vasus.
Devavrita was the last of these eight Vasus in his previous birth. All the eight Vasus had to take birth as human beings because of a curse from some sage. As an amendment to his curse, the sage had agreed that all but the last Vasu could regain their divine form as soon as they were born on earth.
Ganga agreed to be their mother. She took human form and married King Santanu. But she put a condition that Santanu could never object to whatever she did. If he did, she would leave him.
Ganga gave birth to 7 boys one after other. As soon as the kids were born, Ganga threw each newborn into the river and killed them. Actually, that is the way she was freeing the Vasus from their curse. Santanu could not object to whatever she did, since he was bound by Ganga’s condition.
But when the 8th boy was born, Santanu could no longer bear that, and he stopped her from killing the baby boy. Ganga immediately separated from Santanu since he had broken her condition. She walked away with the baby boy to unknown destination.
After several years, Ganga brought back the boy, who was by then a youth, who had mastered all the combat skills and scriptures. She handed that boy back to Santanu and went back to her heavenly abode from whence she came.
That boy was Devavrita. He was also called Gangeya or Ganga Dutta – the one given by Ganga.
Now let us see how Devavrita became Bhishma.
One day, King Santanu came across a beautiful damsel. Her name was Satyavati. Attracted by her beauty, Santanu asked her father for her hand. But her father being an ordinary man, was not willing to give her to a King.
After much persuasion, the girl’s father put a condition that the King should make any son born to her, his successor. But Santanu could not agree to that condition since he already had a son Devavrita who was quite capable and fit in all respects to succeed him.
So, Santanu returned to the palace, without agreeing to the condition put by Satyavati’s father.
Devavrita came to know about this. He then went to Satyavati’s father and asked her hand on behalf of his father. Her father once again put the same condition. Devavrita agreed and swore that he would never ascend the throne after his father.
But Satyavati’s father was not convinced. He still had doubts. He said that even if Devavrita kept his word, his progeny may claim their right to the throne.
To convince him, Devavrita swore that he would never marry nor father any children. Not only that, he pledged that he would ever be loyal to whoever sits on the throne.
On hearing Devavrita’s solemn pledge, people who gathered around exclaimed
That is the reason why Devavrita came to be known as Bhishma from that day on.
Finally, Bhishma succeeded in getting Satyavati married to Santanu, his father.
Santanu was so happy with his son’s conduct that he blessed him that he would never be defeated by anyone in any combat, nor he would die until he himself wanted to.
And that was the reason why Bhishma said he could not be vanquished, nor killed by anyone in a combat.
Bhishma kept his word all through. He never married. He never ascended the throne and was always loyal to his step brothers born to Satyavati, as well as their progeny. He did this even when he disagreed with many of the wrong doings indulged in by his grand children namely the Kauravas. He never went against them even though he knew that they were wrong.
Now, let us analyze a bit.
Keeping one’s word is definitely a great virtue. The entire world runs on trust. If trust is betrayed, there will be chaos and unrest. No one would ever believe in anyone if some respectable man does not keep his words.
Bhishma being a highly respected man and a role model, it was essential for him to keep his word so that the sanctity of the word remained. So that people continued to trust each other.
But at what cost? Bhishma was indirectly supporting all wrong doings of the Kauravas just to keep his word. And now when the war had become inevitable, he was going to massacre thousands of innocent people just for the sake of the pledge he once took.
Was it not his duty to counsel his grandchildren who were about commit mass destruction? After all, who were these Kauravas opposing? They were opposing the ever righteous Pandavas who were also his own grandchildren. They may not be on the throne at that very moment. But they were also rightful heirs to the throne. So, why was he not extending his loyalty to them also? Was he not being partial?
If Bhishma had taken a right decision at the right time, the war could have been averted; thousands of lives could have been saved. His nephew Dhritarastra would have definitely thought twice before rejecting his advice.
But Bhishma did not do that, just to keep the promise he had made to his step mother’s father. What is more important - keeping the word or preventing mass destruction?
What is the use of a word, when it cannot safeguard millions of innocent lives? Was Bhishma really righteous in doing what he did? Ponder over it.
Santanu was a king in the Bharata dynasty. He married a celestial maid Ganga who had taken birth in human form on earth to fulfil her promise to eight divine beings called Vasus.
Devavrita was the last of these eight Vasus in his previous birth. All the eight Vasus had to take birth as human beings because of a curse from some sage. As an amendment to his curse, the sage had agreed that all but the last Vasu could regain their divine form as soon as they were born on earth.
Ganga agreed to be their mother. She took human form and married King Santanu. But she put a condition that Santanu could never object to whatever she did. If he did, she would leave him.
Ganga gave birth to 7 boys one after other. As soon as the kids were born, Ganga threw each newborn into the river and killed them. Actually, that is the way she was freeing the Vasus from their curse. Santanu could not object to whatever she did, since he was bound by Ganga’s condition.But when the 8th boy was born, Santanu could no longer bear that, and he stopped her from killing the baby boy. Ganga immediately separated from Santanu since he had broken her condition. She walked away with the baby boy to unknown destination.
After several years, Ganga brought back the boy, who was by then a youth, who had mastered all the combat skills and scriptures. She handed that boy back to Santanu and went back to her heavenly abode from whence she came.
That boy was Devavrita. He was also called Gangeya or Ganga Dutta – the one given by Ganga.
Now let us see how Devavrita became Bhishma.
After much persuasion, the girl’s father put a condition that the King should make any son born to her, his successor. But Santanu could not agree to that condition since he already had a son Devavrita who was quite capable and fit in all respects to succeed him.
So, Santanu returned to the palace, without agreeing to the condition put by Satyavati’s father.
Devavrita came to know about this. He then went to Satyavati’s father and asked her hand on behalf of his father. Her father once again put the same condition. Devavrita agreed and swore that he would never ascend the throne after his father.
But Satyavati’s father was not convinced. He still had doubts. He said that even if Devavrita kept his word, his progeny may claim their right to the throne.
On hearing Devavrita’s solemn pledge, people who gathered around exclaimed
“Bhishma, Bhishma!”
meaning
“Terrible, indeed terrible!”.
That is the reason why Devavrita came to be known as Bhishma from that day on.
Finally, Bhishma succeeded in getting Satyavati married to Santanu, his father.
Santanu was so happy with his son’s conduct that he blessed him that he would never be defeated by anyone in any combat, nor he would die until he himself wanted to.
And that was the reason why Bhishma said he could not be vanquished, nor killed by anyone in a combat.
Bhishma kept his word all through. He never married. He never ascended the throne and was always loyal to his step brothers born to Satyavati, as well as their progeny. He did this even when he disagreed with many of the wrong doings indulged in by his grand children namely the Kauravas. He never went against them even though he knew that they were wrong.
Now, let us analyze a bit.
Keeping one’s word is definitely a great virtue. The entire world runs on trust. If trust is betrayed, there will be chaos and unrest. No one would ever believe in anyone if some respectable man does not keep his words.
Bhishma being a highly respected man and a role model, it was essential for him to keep his word so that the sanctity of the word remained. So that people continued to trust each other.
But at what cost? Bhishma was indirectly supporting all wrong doings of the Kauravas just to keep his word. And now when the war had become inevitable, he was going to massacre thousands of innocent people just for the sake of the pledge he once took.
Was it not his duty to counsel his grandchildren who were about commit mass destruction? After all, who were these Kauravas opposing? They were opposing the ever righteous Pandavas who were also his own grandchildren. They may not be on the throne at that very moment. But they were also rightful heirs to the throne. So, why was he not extending his loyalty to them also? Was he not being partial?
If Bhishma had taken a right decision at the right time, the war could have been averted; thousands of lives could have been saved. His nephew Dhritarastra would have definitely thought twice before rejecting his advice.
But Bhishma did not do that, just to keep the promise he had made to his step mother’s father. What is more important - keeping the word or preventing mass destruction?
What is the use of a word, when it cannot safeguard millions of innocent lives? Was Bhishma really righteous in doing what he did? Ponder over it.
That was Mahabharata episode 05
Based on the 5000 year old Indian Epic namely Mahabharata. © Dr.King 2019.
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