In the previous episode, we had continued with the discussion on Yudishtra’s firm stance on the path of “Dharma”, no matter whatever happens around him. In that way, we had witnessed how Yudishtra “walked the path” and implemented his stance for the next thirteen years. In due course of yesterday’s episode, we had also answered a few of the questions that might arise in our mind in this regard. As discussed yesterday, Yudishtra’s game plan is simple and straightforward here – Just like how the swimmer would go along with the flow of water, but slowly deviate himself towards the nearest river bank by not getting stuck into the water current and escape from drowning, Yudishtra also goes along with the flow of whatever Duryodhana and Co. were doing. However, he was very careful not to get carried away along with the current, and by catching hold of Bhagawan Krishna’s divine feet, he ensured that he reached the bank safely without getting drowned or hurt! This is what we’ve to understand here. We’ve to go with the flow, but we’ve to ensure that we do not get stuck in the current called “Adharma”. At this point where we feel that we might get stuck, we should tightly hold on to Bhagawan and He would ensure that we reach the bank safely unhurt!
Readers might wonder why I’m spending so much time explaining who Yudishtra really is. I’m doing so because when we move forward with the subsequent “Adhyaayaas” and “Parvas”, and as we witness the events that unfolded, chances are extremely high that we might misunderstand Yudishtra’s stance towards “Dharma”. Nowadays, this has become a fashion – To take a few characters from our “Sanaatana Dharma” and bash them in public. In the current day, there are many debates that are happening, aren’t they? All these debates will have some controversial topic pertaining to our “Sanaatana Dharma”, with the sole aim of defaming us. For instance, they might take some incident from the Ramayana and try to portray Vaali as a hero, and Bhagawan Rama as a villain. The topic of the debate might be – Whether Bhagawan Rama did the right thing by killing Vaali from behind? Why didn’t Bhagawan Rama take on Vaali from the front? Has Bhagawan Rama performed a “cowardly act” of hitting Vaali from behind? All these are useless debates and it is quite evident that people who are debating such topics are half-baked crooks! I say this firmly because, in the Ramayana there is a separate set of eight slokas wherein Bhagawan Rama gives an apt justification for his act, and after listening to Bhagawan Rama’s reply, Vaali himself was satisfied and certifies Bhagawan Rama that whatever He has done was absolutely correct. Modern day debaters won’t look at this set of slokas and Vaali’s certification. They will only look into that one instance of Bhagawan Rama killing Vaali from behind and do some useless debating. This is why I’m saying that such people are half-baked crooks.
Another example of such useless debates is this question – Whether Yudishtra deviated from “Dharma” when he played the gambling game and when he staked Draupati and played the game? This is perhaps the most stupid question that one can ask, because, it is evident from Sage Vyaasa’s detailed description (which we’re going to see in detail later on) that Yudishtra went forward with the game only to maintain his “Shabadham” pertaining to the “Dharma-Maarga” and not because of an addiction towards the gambling game. If Sage Vyaasa himself is clarifying this, who are we to even debate on this? If there should be a meaningful debate, people should have a holistic viewpoint about the subject before starting. There should be a 360 degree analysis of the context in hand before opening our mouth to talk.
Similarly in this context also, there are many people who portray Yudishtra as a crook and Karna as a hero. This is totally wrong. In subsequent Adhyaayas we are going to witness how wicked Karna was. Of course, it is understood that Karna had a tough life and he was a deserted child by his own mother. Even then, portraying Karna as a hero is totally wrong. Similarly, many people try and portray Duryodhana as an epitome of “Dharma”! How foolish can this be? The problem with all of us today is very simple – We think that we know anything and everything! Now who has authored the Ramayana? It’s Vaalmiki Maharishi. Mahabharata was authored by Sage Vyaasa. If these two stalwarts weren’t there, or, had they not composed whatever they’ve composed, would we even know that there was someone called Bhagawan Rama or Bhagawan Krishna or Yudishtra? The answer is “No” isn’t it? Hence, what is our duty here? If we’ve to understand these texts, we’ve to accept whatever Vaalmiki Maharishi and Sage Vyaasa have said, isn’t it? When Vaalmiki Maharishi himself explains clearly that whatever Bhagawan Rama had done is right, who are we to debate on it? Similarly, if Sage Vyaasa himself has certified that Yudishtra walked the path of “Dharma”, who are we to even think otherwise? This is where we go wrong, and this is where all our atheist friends try to capture us. Thus, as ardent followers of our “Sanaatana Dharma” we should firmly believe in whatever Sage Vyaasa and Vaalmiki Maharishi have said in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana respectively.
Thus, the point here is that Yudishtra, at whatever instance, walked the path of “Dharma” without an iota of blemish. Of course, he had to give in to the gambling game that Duryodhana had arranged. Playing the gamble might be against “Raaja-Dharma”, but according to Yudishtra, he was following his “Dharma” of not hurting Duryodhana’s sentiments. As per Yudishtra’s “Shabadham”, he wouldn’t talk ill of others, nor will hurt others’ feelings and sentiments, isn’t it? Hence, he walked that path meticulously, even though he knew that he was going to fall into Duryodhana’s trap. We should always remember one thing clearly here – As we follow the path of “Dharma”, there might be many people around us who would try to take advantage of our silence and our resolve. They would try all their tricks in the trade to bring us down. However, if they do so, it is at their own peril. Bhagawan would always be by the side of people who follow “Dharma”. Initially it might seem as if people who are taking us for a ride are winning, but in the long-term, all of them would be eventually destroyed completely. This is where we’ve to make up our mind, not to give in to such crooks who try and derail us. This is exactly the lesson that Yudishtra is teaching us through his life – We should never deviate from our path, no matter how others try and influence us. We should have that firm resolve that “Aatma-Soukhyam” is more important than the “Deha-Soukhyam”.
So for today, let us understand this point very clearly once again, and we shall wait till the next episode to move forward with the subsequent events that unfolded. Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 