In the previous episode, we had witnessed Duryodhana not being very happy at the end of Day Eight at Kurukshetra. After yet another day belonging to the Paandava camp by and large, Duryodhana feels that Bhishmachaarya is not doing enough, even though he is extremely capable. For some reason, Duryodhana feels that Bhishmachaarya is holding himself back from going full throttle on the Paandavas. Hence, he thinks of asking Karna to enter the battlefield and to prove his might. Hence, he first asks Karna for approval, for which Karna says that he is not going to enter the battlefield unless and until Bhishmachaarya is leading from the front, owing to the pledge that both Bhishmachaarya and Karna had taken earlier. Given this complication thus, Duryodhana makes a plan – To give Bhishmachaarya a break for a day or two and make Karna the “Senapati” instead of Bhishmachaarya! With this in mind, Duryodhana approaches Bhishmachaarya, who straightaway rejects this plan! Bhishmachaarya’s ego gets hurt big time and he takes a pledge that he would go all out on the Paandava army on the next day and with this, he would finish off all his “debts” that he owes to Duryodhana.
As he says thus, Bhishmachaarya is pained in his heart so much. He continues his accord to Duryodhana thus, “Oh Duryodhana! Till now I’ve never backed out of a war in front of an enemy! However, you’ve started doubting me on my credentials and my integrity in the battlefield. In all these eight days of war I’ve lived up to my pledge that I’ve given in front of you. For instance, every day I had pledged that I’ll destroy a substantial portion of the Paandava army, which I’ve done. I’ve never gone back on my pledges till date. Oh Duryodhana! Please do not talk about this any further to me! The moment you’ve started doubting my credentials, I will prove myself in the forthcoming day(s). Please leave me alone. I shall fight single-handedly from tomorrow onwards and you will see the results on the ground!”
As Bhishmachaarya says firmly thus, Duryodhana quietly leaves the place without uttering a single word back to him. As Duryodhana leaves, Bhishmachaarya sinks into a deep thought – Why is he getting such words from a person who is an epitome of “Adharma”? Who is Duryodhana to come and question Bhishmachaarya, who himself is an exceptional warrior beyond normal descriptions? Bhishmachaarya is someone who has sat in Bhagawan Brahma’s “Raaja-Sabha” as an invited guest. For a person of such a high stature, is it acceptable that he gets such certificates from Duryodhana who is nothing as compared to him? As Bhishmachaarya ponders over these questions, he himself obtains the answer. Bhishmachaarya thinks thus, “Oh! On that fateful day when Draupati was molested, what was I doing sitting there? When the entire Kaurava camp was rejoicing Yudishtra’s loss and Draupati’s molestation, as the senior most person in the family, I should have been the one to stop that nonsense that happened on that day. However, I chose to remain silent! Draupati called me out for help and still I did not respond to her. This is the most defining moment of my life, from where the downfall of this entire family commenced! Till today I’ve not deviated from my “Dharma”, but on that occasion, me choosing to be silent was the greatest “Adharma” that I had committed till date, for which I’m reaping the consequences to this day! If I had questioned Duryodhana’s atrocities then, would he have the same guts and courage to come today and doubt my credentials in the battlefield? Thus, this is the biggest mistake I made and I repent for it!”
We are witnessing this introspection of Bhishmachaarya at the end of Day Eight. He is going to go full throttle with full vigour from the ninth day onwards, however, his full throttle approach is going to be short-lived! So for today, let us understand this very important point and we shall wait till the next episode to witness how Bhishmachaarya approached Day Nine at Kurukshetra! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 