In the previous episode, we had continued with the conversation between Karna and Bhishmachaarya with regards to experiencing the effects of the Punya Karma. While Karna’s question is about experiencing the fruits of our Punya Karma in this birth itself, in the context of Bhishmachaarya’s current suffering, Bhishmachaarya plays it down. He tells Karna that he shouldn’t worry about all that now. Bhishmachaarya says that he himself has stopped thinking about all these things, and he has decided to focus on Bhagawan Krishna for the first time and thereby transcend towards the Svarga Lokha. Bhishmachaarya has decided to move on with his life now and he has had enough with this family for all these years. He has tried his best to protect and safeguard the interests of this entire Kuru Vamsa and he has now decided to leave all the bonding that he had with everyone till now. Saying thus, Bhishmachaarya asks Karna to get ready for the battle against the Paandavas and to finish off all his debts that he has with Duryodhana.
Continuing this conversation thus, Karna tells Bhishmachaarya further – “Oh Bhishmachaarya! Who is this Arjuna? Is he even a match to your prowess in a battle? Yet, how was he able to win over you and bring you to this state of affairs? It is only because Bhagawan Krishna is with him all the time, and I know this for a fact. If such a state of affairs can happen to you, it can happen to all of us within minutes. Of course you tried your best and fought for ten long days with a lot of zeal, but I don’t think any of us in the Duryodhana camp is going to give such a big resistance. All of us are going to fall like a pack of cards very soon to Arjuna. Bhagawan Krishna is an expert in strategizing and giving timely advice to Arjuna and Co. He is the one who is behind making them win this contest!”
This is exactly what Sage Vaishampayana is also narrating to King Janame-Jaya. In fact, as Sage Vaishampayana is narrating all these details about the Kurukshetra war to King Janame Jaya, there is a question from him thus, “Oh Sage Vaishampayana! How can my grandfathers (Paandava brothers) have the strength and valour to defeat and kill veterans like Bhishmachaarya and Guru Dhronachaarya in the war? If such a thing has happened, it cannot be without divine intervention, isn’t it?” For this, Sage Vaishampayana replies in the affirmative and confirms King Janame-Jaya’s answer as he explains about the divine nature of Bhagawan Krishna and His role in the entire Kurukshetra war. Thus coming back to this context, when Karna says that it is humanly not possible to stop Bhishmachaarya and Guru Dhronachaarya in the battlefield and if Arjuna is able to achieve it, it cannot happen without Bhagawan Krishna’s divine “Anugraha”. But why is Bhagawan Krishna providing His divine “Anugraha” to the Paandava brothers and not for the others? It is because Yudishtra and Co. stand for “Dharma” and Bhagawan Krishna will always be on the side that favours “Dharma”. In other words, Bhagawan Krishna is using the Paandava brothers to establish and re-establish “Dharma” in this world! This is what we’ve to understand from this entire conversation.
Speaking all this, Bhishmachaarya gives the “go ahead” for Karna to go and fight for Duryodhana and with this, Karna comes back to the camp. He recommends to Duryodhana that Guru Dhronachaarya should lead the army from today onwards and with this, Guru Dhronachaarya is officially coronated as the “Senapati” (Leader) of the Kaurava army after Bhishmachaarya. Of course, there’s a lot of commotion and uncertainty that has started looming in the Kaurava camp and with this heavy feeling, the coronation ceremony is not very grand in nature. It is a very simple formality, and Duryodhana does the needful to Guru Dhronachaarya. Thus with this, we come to the end of the “Dhrona-Abisheka Parva”, which is the first “Upa-Parva” under the main “Dhrona Parva”.
Thus, as Guru Dhronachaarya takes the oath, he says to Duryodhana thus, “Oh Duryodhana! I shall take a pledge that I shall fight for you in the battlefield till my last birth. But please remember one thing clearly – Arjuna cannot be defeated in this war because Bhagawan Krishna is with him. Both of them are incarnations of the “Nara-Narayana” combine from Bhadrinaatha Kshetram. Arjuna is the “Nara” and Bhagawan Krishna is “Narayana”. Hence, it is virtually impossible to defeat this combo in any battlefield, however, I shall give my best!” This is nearly the tenth time that we’re seeing this conversation that is taking place. Initially we’ve seen Bhishmachaarya say the same thing to Duryodhana and many others too have told him the same. Yet, Duryodhana is not willing to pay heed to all these words! So for today, let us understand up to this point and we shall continue this discussion forward in the next episode as well! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 