When you are in difficulties and when your life itself is at stake, you pray to God for help. What if God himself tries to attack you? You have no one else to turn to. Nor you can do anything to protect yourself.
That is what exactly must have happened to Bhishma.
After Bhishma expressed his inability to stop the war or withdraw from it, the fierce war started. Bhishma was at the lead. He kept killing Pandava soldiers relentlessly. He even attacked the Pandavas even though he loved them a lot.
But Bhishma’s attack on the Pandavas looked more like a mock fight and not genuine fight. He was making sure that they were not seriously afflicted by his attacks.
When Bhishma and Arjuna – the prominent of the Pandava brothers - came face to face, it appeared as if they were having a friendly contest and not really a fierce war!
Bhishma kept showering arrows at Arjuna and Arjuna retaliated. Arjuna broke the bow of Bhishma and before Bhishma could pick up another, Arjuna foiled that attempt too. The grandsire Bhishma gladly lauded Arjuna’s prowess. He encouraged Arjuna to fight with more vigor. But that did not stop Bhishma from attacking Arjuna and killing the soldiers on his side.
Bhishma kept showering arrows and he completely covered the chariot of Arjuna. For a moment it looked as if the chariot along with Arjuna and Krishna was completely submerged. Arjuna appeared totally helpless.
But Krishna somehow managed to steer the chariot out of this attack. Krishna kept persuading Arjuna to fight without any inhibitions. But Arjuna was hesitant to attack Bhishma whole heartedly.
At one stage, Krishna seemed to lose his patience. He jumped down from the chariot and started walking towards Bhishma with his bare arm raised up in fury.
Bhishma knew that Krishna was none other than the God himself in human form. He had no intention to fight with God. He knew the futility of such an exercise since no one can prevent God from doing whatever he wanted.
Instead of protecting himself from Krishna’s attack, Bhishma dropped down his weapons. He bowed to Krishna and said that it would be his good fortune if Krishna killed him. Bhishma adored Krishna and was prepared to die in his hands.
Arjuna tried to stop Krishna from moving forward towards Bhishma. He encircled Krishna with his arms and pleaded him not to move ahead. Krishna shrug Arjuna off and kept moving forward with his eyes burning in rage.
Finally, Arjuna fell on Krishna’s feet and reminded him of his promise done to Duryodhana – the eldest of the Kauravas - that he would never fight in the war but would only act as a charioteer to Arjuna.
What is this promise Arjuna was referring to?
For that, we need to go back a bit.
Much before the war started, each side was making preparations for the inevitable war, by gathering their supporters.
Almost every king in the entire continent was taking their side either with the Kauravas or with the Pandavas. They were pledging their support with their respective armies.
Krishna led by his elder brother Balarama were rulers of Dwarika in the western coast of India. They too had a big army. So, both Duryodhana – the eldest of the Kauravas – and Arjuna – the prominent of the Pandava brothers, had gone to Krishna asking for their help. Both of them wanted to woo their support in the ensuing war.
Balarama was the teacher of both Duryodhana and Bhima – the elder brother of Arjuna. So, Balarama decided not to take any side. Arjuna was close to Krishna, and so there was no way Krishna could forsake Arjuna.
Finally, Krishna made an open offer – either he himself, or his entire army. Duryodhana and Arjuna could choose between the two.
Arjuna chose Krishna. Duryodhana gladly chose Krishna’s army. But he knew that Krishna was single handedly capable of vanquishing his side. So, he expressed his apprehension.
Krishna promised Duryodhana that he would never fight, nor raise any weapon against the Kauravas, but would only serve as a charioteer, driving Arjuna’s chariot.
That was the solemn promise made by Krishna to Duryodhana, which Krishna was about to break.
Arjuna told Krishna that if he broke that promise, people were going to not only ridicule Krishna of lying, but also blame Arjuna for creating such a situation. Afterall, it was Arjuna, who was not putting his complete might into the war, due to his reverence to Bhishma, and make it look as if he was taking part in a friendly contest!
Krishna was upset about such an approach of Arjuna that could potentially lead to massacre of thousands of innocent people. Krishna wanted to put an end to the war at any cost. So, that was the reason why he moved towards Bhishma with an intent to liquidate him.
Finally, when Arjuna promised him to take the war more seriously, did Krishna calm down, and return back to the chariot to take his position as the charioteer.
The war continued, with Bhishma brutally slaying the soldiers on the Pandava side. Pandava army was running helter-skelter with none to protect them. It seemed as if Bhishma was going to finish the Pandava army in no time.
That was Mahabharata episode 06
Based on the 5000 year old Indian Epic namely Mahabharata. © Dr.King 2019.
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