The previous episode was a landmark one, as we’ve entered into the all-important “Shri Bhagawad Gita Parva” under the main “Bhishma Parva”. This is where we’re going to witness the complete package of the 700-shloka-Bhagawad Gita – An important conversation between Arjuna and Bhagawan Krishna in the Kurukshetra battlefield. This “Upa-Parva” commences at a point when Sanjaya starts narrating the proceedings of the Kurukshetra war, ten days after it had begun! Now this is where many of us might get confused. We should understand one thing very clearly – For the first ten days of the Kurukshetra war, Sanjaya did not narrate anything that was going on to King Dhritarashtra. It all begins only after Bhishmachaarya is laid to rest on the “bed of arrows”, after he falls to Arjuna’s flurry! This important incident takes place on the tenth day of the war and it is only after Bhishmachaarya falls, Sanjaya is starting to narrate all the proceedings to King Dhritarashtra. Thus, even as the eleventh day proceedings go on, Sanjaya starts from “Day zero” of the war and goes on from there. So we’ve to be very clear in our understanding here.
Thus, the structure of the Bhagawad Gita in the Mahabharata text is like this: Sanjaya narrates to King Dhritarashtra, the Bhagawad Gita exactly as spoken by Bhagawan Krishna to Arjuna and vice-versa. We shall witness the beginning sloka of this “Bhagawad Gita Parva” and with this, we shall understand clearly as to what is happening. Sanjaya says thus:
“Sanjayoham maharaja namaste bharata rishabha!
Hato bhishmah shaantanavah bharataanaam pita mahaha!!”
Now we shall understand the sequence clearly. Sanjaya says through the above sloka thus, “Oh King Dhritarashtra! Bhishmachaarya has fallen down and has been destroyed completely! Bhishmachaarya has been pushed to the ground by none other than Shikhandi. Arjuna was at the back of Shikhandi in the same chariot and this seems to be a clear ploy. As Shikhandi came to the front to fight, Bhishmachaarya immediately put down his bow and arrows. This was the time when Arjuna capitalized and with the instruction from Bhagawan Krishna, Arjuna fired arrows after arrows on Bhishmachaarya who was weaponless at that time! Thus, unable to bear the innumerable arrows fired by Arjuna, Bhishmachaarya fell on the ground. However, he is still alive and is resting on the “bed of arrows”, created by Arjuna! Oh King Dhritarashtra! What do we do now? We’ve lost the great Bhishmachaarya in the battlefield! From now onwards it’s only a formality that the Paandava army has to complete! Our entire army is going to be destroyed into pieces!”
Saying thus, Sanjaya cries aloud and storms into King Dhritarashtra’s chamber! As Sanjaya runs inside thus, King Dhritatashtra doesn’t understand anything what’s going on! He immediately calms Sanjaya down, makes him sit beside him and asks patiently thus, “Oh my dear Sanjaya! Why are you so tensed? What’s happening on the battlefield? Are you trying to tell me that the great Bhishmachaarya has been defeated? Is it really possible? This is really an unprecedented happening and till date, I’ve never seen Bhishmachaarya being defeated so quickly! What is really happening on the battlefield? Didn’t people come to the rescue of Bhishmachaarya? Aren’t there “Maharathis” who are extremely capable of protecting Bhishmachaarya? How was he left alone in the war zone unattended? Did none of them protect his chariot on either side? Was there nobody to protect the flag that is on his chariot? Where is Duryodhana? Where are my hundred sons? Are they still alive? Why did Duryodhana desert his grandfather like this? Oh Sanjaya! As you were saying that Bhishmachaarya has fallen down, my heart and body are shivering with fear and tension! Please tell me what is going on! This is sounding unprecedented!”
As King Dhritarashtra asks with a lot of tension thus, Sanjaya commences his explanation on what is going on at Kurukshetra. By this time, as we’ve seen the above conversation, it is already the tenth day of the war, however, while narrating the proceedings, Sanjaya commences right from the first day, and gives a seemingly live commentary of the entire war proceedings. Thus, as King Dhritarashtra poses enormous questions like this, Sanjaya initially did not know what to reply. He waits for a few minutes, composes himself and now begins his reply slowly with a sad tone. So for today, let us understand the context clearly once again, and we shall wait till the next episode to commence Sanjaya’s detailed explanation! Stay tuned!
The Indian Dharma 