As we discussed in the previous episode, the stage was all set for the final act of this drama of war of righteousness!
Duryodhana had emerged from his hideout from beneath the lake. Though tired, he was ready to fight his archrival Bhima in a last ‘do or die’ act. Bhima who was waiting all along for this opportunity was all the more ready.
It was a one on one combat. The umpire was none other than Balarama who was the teacher of both, who had chosen to stay neutral throughout the war that went on for 18 days.
The entire Pandava army along with the Pandavas and Krishna were the onlookers. Sanjaya was all set with his running commentary. The match was about to start.
Arjuna was anxious about the outcome of this duel. He asked Krishna as to who would win in this duel. Krishna frankly admitted that there was no way Bhima could vanquish Duryodhana in a fair fight.
Bhima was no doubt mighty and powerful. But Duryodhana was more skillful and was a better combatant. There was no way Bhima could defeat him unless he resorted to unfair means.
What is this unfair means Krishna was talking about?
As with any game, a mace fight also had its own rules. The most important rule was that no one could strike the opponent below his waist. That was not allowed and considered to be unfair.
But Duryodhana had to be vanquished somehow. So, Arjuna signaled to Bhima by slapping his own thighs to give him a hint that he should strike Duryodhana’s thighs. And Bhima got the hint.
The fight went on for quite sometime, both Bhima and Duryodhana managing to hit each other badly. Their bodies were mangled and were oozing with blood. But neither seemed to have an upper hand. Probably it would have continued that way, forever.
But suddenly Bhima attacked Duryodhana by hitting his thighs – the forbidden part of the body. Duryodhana had never expected that and he fell down having broken his thighs.
Bhima started dancing victoriously. He kept kicking Duryodhana’s head mercilessly. Duryodhana who could not even get up was totally helpless.
It was Yudhishthira who ran towards Duryodhana and apologized to him for whatever Bhima had done. He reprimanded Bhima for kicking Duryodhana’s head.
Yudhishthira said that Bhima should never have done such an act. Not only that Duryodhana was his elder brother, he was also a king. And touching a King’s head with one’s foot is an unrighteous act. He asked Bhima to stop that immediately.
Balarama who was the umpire and watching the fight all through, saw the unfair way in which Bhima hit Duryodhana. He became furious and he rushed towards Bhima with an intent to attack him. He said that what Bhima did was an unrighteous act.
Probably Balarama would have killed Bhima in his rage if Krishna had not stopped him at the right time.
Krishna tried to pacify Balarama by reminding him how Duryodhana had been unfair to the Pandavas all through. He also reminded Balarama the oath that Bhima had taken long ago to break Duryodhana’s thighs.
Long back, before the war had started, the Kauravas had snatched the kingdom from the hands of the Pandavas by cheating them in an unfair game of dice. They had also made them their slaves. To add insult to the injury, one of them had dragged Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas, to the open court. They even tried to disrobe her in the presence of everybody.
None could help Draupadi at that time, except Krishna. The arrogant and jubilant Duryodhana had offered his thighs to Draupadi to sit on it as his wife!
Pandavas were totally helpless since they had lost everything in the deceitful game and had even become slaves of Duryodhana. It was only Bhima who could not control himself and vowed to break the thighs of Duryodhana one day, for the sin he had committed by offering them to Draupadi. And Bhima was all along waiting for an opportunity to fulfil his oath.
Krishna recalled all these incidents and convinced Balarama that though Bhima had broken the rules of the fight, he was justified, since he had only tried to fulfil his oath that he had taken long back. Also, the wicked Kauravas did not deserve any sympathy.
Balarama was not satisfied by Krishna’s words. He abruptly left the scene and ascended his chariot and drove back to his Kingdom Dwarika.
Duryodhana too censured the Pandavas and Krishna for their deceitful ways. He blamed Krishna for all the things he had done. He reminded Krishna how he resorted to unfair means at every stage of the war.
It was Krishna who took the help of Shikandi to slay Bhishma. The invincible Drona was killed by making Yudhishthira tell a lie. Karna was killed when he was unarmed and was in a helpless condition. And now, it was Krishna with the help of Arjuna who suggested to Bhima to do whatever he did.
Duryodhana said that the Pandavas would never have vanquished his side if they had fought fairly. He ridiculed them by calling them the actual loosers since they have to live on with none with them. He on the other hand, would join all those great warriors who had departed before him.
He asked them what use of a Kingdom when they had lost all those whom they loved? The infamy that awaited them for their deceitful acts would never allow them to live in peace, he said.
The Pandavas were greatly ashamed by these words of Duryodhana. They kept blaming themselves. Even the Gods that had assembled in the skies to watch the fight, abruptly left the scene, quite dissatisfied by whatever had happened. Some of them even showered flowers on Duryodhana in approval of the courage he showed!
I won’t ask you to judge about whatever had happened. But think about the whole sequence of events right from the day the war started to this day when the war seemed to have almost come to an end.
Do you see any way you can justify whatever Pandavas did? More specifically, the chain of deceitful acts Krishna made them to indulge in? Does it suit a God incarnate? Was he justified in any way? Think about it. I am keen to know about your views.
The entire Pandava army along with the Pandavas and Krishna were the onlookers. Sanjaya was all set with his running commentary. The match was about to start.
Arjuna was anxious about the outcome of this duel. He asked Krishna as to who would win in this duel. Krishna frankly admitted that there was no way Bhima could vanquish Duryodhana in a fair fight.
Bhima was no doubt mighty and powerful. But Duryodhana was more skillful and was a better combatant. There was no way Bhima could defeat him unless he resorted to unfair means.
What is this unfair means Krishna was talking about?
As with any game, a mace fight also had its own rules. The most important rule was that no one could strike the opponent below his waist. That was not allowed and considered to be unfair.
But Duryodhana had to be vanquished somehow. So, Arjuna signaled to Bhima by slapping his own thighs to give him a hint that he should strike Duryodhana’s thighs. And Bhima got the hint.
But suddenly Bhima attacked Duryodhana by hitting his thighs – the forbidden part of the body. Duryodhana had never expected that and he fell down having broken his thighs.
Bhima started dancing victoriously. He kept kicking Duryodhana’s head mercilessly. Duryodhana who could not even get up was totally helpless.
It was Yudhishthira who ran towards Duryodhana and apologized to him for whatever Bhima had done. He reprimanded Bhima for kicking Duryodhana’s head.
Yudhishthira said that Bhima should never have done such an act. Not only that Duryodhana was his elder brother, he was also a king. And touching a King’s head with one’s foot is an unrighteous act. He asked Bhima to stop that immediately.
Balarama who was the umpire and watching the fight all through, saw the unfair way in which Bhima hit Duryodhana. He became furious and he rushed towards Bhima with an intent to attack him. He said that what Bhima did was an unrighteous act.
Probably Balarama would have killed Bhima in his rage if Krishna had not stopped him at the right time.
Krishna tried to pacify Balarama by reminding him how Duryodhana had been unfair to the Pandavas all through. He also reminded Balarama the oath that Bhima had taken long ago to break Duryodhana’s thighs.
None could help Draupadi at that time, except Krishna. The arrogant and jubilant Duryodhana had offered his thighs to Draupadi to sit on it as his wife!
Pandavas were totally helpless since they had lost everything in the deceitful game and had even become slaves of Duryodhana. It was only Bhima who could not control himself and vowed to break the thighs of Duryodhana one day, for the sin he had committed by offering them to Draupadi. And Bhima was all along waiting for an opportunity to fulfil his oath.
Krishna recalled all these incidents and convinced Balarama that though Bhima had broken the rules of the fight, he was justified, since he had only tried to fulfil his oath that he had taken long back. Also, the wicked Kauravas did not deserve any sympathy.
Balarama was not satisfied by Krishna’s words. He abruptly left the scene and ascended his chariot and drove back to his Kingdom Dwarika.
Duryodhana too censured the Pandavas and Krishna for their deceitful ways. He blamed Krishna for all the things he had done. He reminded Krishna how he resorted to unfair means at every stage of the war.
It was Krishna who took the help of Shikandi to slay Bhishma. The invincible Drona was killed by making Yudhishthira tell a lie. Karna was killed when he was unarmed and was in a helpless condition. And now, it was Krishna with the help of Arjuna who suggested to Bhima to do whatever he did.
Duryodhana said that the Pandavas would never have vanquished his side if they had fought fairly. He ridiculed them by calling them the actual loosers since they have to live on with none with them. He on the other hand, would join all those great warriors who had departed before him.
He asked them what use of a Kingdom when they had lost all those whom they loved? The infamy that awaited them for their deceitful acts would never allow them to live in peace, he said.
The Pandavas were greatly ashamed by these words of Duryodhana. They kept blaming themselves. Even the Gods that had assembled in the skies to watch the fight, abruptly left the scene, quite dissatisfied by whatever had happened. Some of them even showered flowers on Duryodhana in approval of the courage he showed!
I won’t ask you to judge about whatever had happened. But think about the whole sequence of events right from the day the war started to this day when the war seemed to have almost come to an end.
Do you see any way you can justify whatever Pandavas did? More specifically, the chain of deceitful acts Krishna made them to indulge in? Does it suit a God incarnate? Was he justified in any way? Think about it. I am keen to know about your views.
That was Mahabharata episode 19
Based on the 5000 year old Indian Epic namely Mahabharata. © Dr.King 2019.
Cannot agree that an act of deciet is justifiable as a revenge for what the kauravas had done before.find this skewed justice strange!!!
ReplyDeleteLiked the style of posing a question at the end of an episode ��