In the previous episode, we had witnessed Guru Dhronachaarya replying to the lamenting done by Duryodhana. Guru Dhronachaarya is clear in his reminder to Duryodhana that this Arjuna-Bhagawan Krishna duo is impossible to be defeated in any battlefield in this world. Inspite of making Duryodhana aware of this fact several times, Duryodhana is not ready to listen and grasp this into him. Moreover, for all the “Adharma” that happened on that fateful day when the gambling game was held, the dice that Sahuni rolled illegally, are now coming back towards Duryodhana and the Kaurava army in the form of sharp arrows from Arjuna! Every roll of dice on that fateful day is now transforming into arrows and “Asthras” and are wreaking havoc day after day! Hence, for all the “Adharma” that has been done to Yudishtra and Co. on that day, it is time now that the Kaurava army faces it and experiences the consequences of that heinous crime! Establishing all these points thus, Guru Dhronachaarya asserts that neither he nor Bhishmachaarya will be able to achieve victory against the Paandavas in this war. This is not an ordinary battle wherein it would be a test of strength between the two camps. This is a war that is being fought between “Dharma” and “Adharma”, and when this question arises, no matter how much powerful the Kaurava army might be in comparison with the Paandava’s, defeat looms large as the Kauravas stand for “Adharma” knowingly or unknowingly!
This is the same way in which Mandodhari also laments when Ravana got killed by Bhagawan Rama. We’ve seen this during our earlier Shrimad Ramayana project that when Bhagawan Rama kills Ravana during the Rama-Ravana war, Mandodhari comes running to see her husband dead! Upon seeing Ravana’s corpse, she laments thus, “Oh Ravana! Today you’ve been overpowered, not by this Rama who is standing in front of you! Rama is an ordinary person. He can never match you with the level of strength and resources. However, if he has killed you today, this war wasn’t about the test of strengths between the two of you. The reason behind your killing is your lack of control of your senses (“Indriyas”)! If you had not gone behind this woman called “Sita”, you would have been a great king even today and Rama couldn’t have touched you at all! However, the moment you decided to go after Sita just because she is beautiful, your end game commenced!” Upon comparing this with what Guru Dhronachaarya is saying here to Duryodhana, it is evident that Duryodhana is not falling short of strength or resources. The real problem with Duryodhana is lack of control of his senses and his emotions, which led him to unwanted jealousy. The moment he publicly insulted and abused Draupati and Yudishtra at the Hastinapura courtroom on that fateful gambling day, Duryodhana’s downfall began! It was just a matter of time from there on before Bhagawan Krishna showed Duryodhana the mirror!
Hence, the important lesson that all of us should learn from these kinds of events in the Ramayana and Mahabharata is this – If we’re able to control our senses and our mind-powered instincts, victory is assured in whatever task we perform. However, if we’re running behind the desires created by our senses (Both “Karma-Indriyas” and “Gnyaana-Indriyas”) and if we fail to keep them under our control, disaster is assured sooner or later! This is exactly what is happening with Duryodhana as well. Just because of one person’s ego and jealousy, the entire Kaurava clan including veterans like Bhishmachaarya and Guru Dhronachaarya are facing doomsday! This is the state which we would also encounter if we fail to control our senses in the right way and at the right time. As we discuss this point here, there’s one more aspect which is evident – If we’ve to face downfall, it is not because of an external enemy all the time. The enemy is within us most of the time! Who are those enemies? Our “Paapa-Karma” account which runs to several pages, “Bhagawad-Apachaaram” (Abusing Bhagawan because something hasn’t happened as per our liking), “Bhaagawatha Apachaaram” (Abusing a “Guru” unwantedly), etc. These are exactly the ones that are haunting Duryodhana here as well. In Duryodhana’s case, he has performed several tasks that are totally against “Dharma” and all of us know of it. Moreover, Duryodhana has indulged in Bhagawad-Apachaaram as well, wherein he tried insulting Bhagawan Krishna when He came as the “Paandava-Thooda” (Peace messenger on behalf of the Paandavas). Readers might remember this, as we’ve discussed earlier how Duryodhana planned to trap Bhagawan Krishna in King Dhritarashtra’s courtroom and insult Him and how Bhagawan Krishna got extremely angry at Duryodhana for this. Hence, such demeaning acts are now leading Duryodhana to extreme misery!
So for today, let us understand from this Duryodhana’s episode, the fact that each and every action of ours will have a consequence sooner or later. We shall continue this discussion further in the next episode as well! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 