In the previous episode, we had witnessed an important accord on the key rules and regulations that are being framed for the conduct of the war. Precisely and most importantly, it is mutually decided that the war would happen only during the day time and not after sunset. This is in contrast when we compare the war that took place between Bhagawan Rama and Ravana in the Ramayana text, wherein the war happened during both day and the night. But here, it is strictly decided that the war will not happen after sunset and further, people who are on the chariots will fight with only those counterparts who are also on chariots. In similar lines, people riding on horses will fight only with those counterparts who are on horses. Similarly, this rule applies to all kinds of warriors who are going to participate in the war. Meanwhile, Sage Vyaasa visits Hastinapura once again, in a bid to provide a divine pair of eyes to King Dhritarashtra as well, so that he too can see the live proceedings of the war along with Sanjaya.
However, even as Sage Vyaasa is ready to provide him with the same, King Dhritarashtra is not ready to receive them. He replies to Sage Vyaasa thus, “Oh my dear father! Do you really want me to have these eyes and see the war proceedings? This is going to be a disastrous war and all my family members, friends and relatives are going to die in this. Do you really want me to see all their deaths one after the other? This is perhaps one of the biggest family feuds ever happening in this world and this has led the entire family to the battlefield. Now, all of them are going to engage in warfare and are going to destroy each other! I do not have the heart to see this mass destruction of my own family members and my sons! I’m not so stone-hearted to digest these things! Hence, let Sanjaya see it and let him update me with the proceedings from time to time!”
As King Dhritarashtra says thus, Sage Vyaasa too understands his son’s feelings with a lot of compassion. Sage Vyaasa replies thus, “Oh my son! You’re right! I know it is difficult to see people dying in front of our eyes. Accordingly, even I’m seeing some bad omens all around me, which suggests something disastrous is yet to come. With this, Sage Vyaasa lists down a huge number of planetary positions pertaining to astrological science, which favours a disastrous war in the making. Of course I do not know much about Astrological science and predictions pertaining to it and hence, I’m not going deeper into this subject. Readers who are well-versed in astrology can go through this section in detail and may be able to understand it far better. However, one thing is very clear – All the planetary positions that are there during this time are in such a way that it indicates a major disaster happening very soon.
Moreover, Sage Vyaasa also explains one interesting point here, when it comes to the context of astrological positions – Within the previous fourteen days (1 Paksha) from the start of the war, both solar and lunar eclipses have taken place! This is something very unusual. Normally during the no-moon day, (“Amaavaasya”) the solar eclipse takes place and during the full-moon day (“Pournami”) the lunar eclipse takes place. Here, Sage Vyaasa explains that both the solar and lunar eclipses have taken place within this span of fourteen days and this is extremely disastrous for the entire world! Hence, what we can understand here is that, if both the lunar eclipse and solar eclipse comes back to back, it signals a disaster for the world. Subsequently, Sage Vyaasa explains the positions of the planets “Raahu” and “Kethu” and explains how these positions are extremely bad for the Kauravas and how these are going to be extremely good for the Paandavas.
Sage Vyaasa further says thus, “Oh son! Please understand one thing clearly – If I say that the Paandavas’ planetary positions are favourable, it doesn’t mean that they will easily breeze through this war and attain victory fully! They are also going to face equal destruction as the Kauravas, and this war is not going to be a cake-walk for them as well! Hence, when it comes to destruction, it is going to be there at a large scale on both sides. However, we should not forget that this is Bhagawan Krishna’s “Sankalpa” of killing all the evil forces in the Kurukshetra battlefield, and if He has made the “Sankalpa”, nobody can stop it from happening!” Saying thus, Sage Vyaasa explains the mammoth destruction that is in store for the entire Kaurava and Paandava armies. So for today, let us understand up to this point and in the next episode, we shall continue this further! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 