In the previous episode, we had witnessed a very interesting conversation between Bhagawan Krishna and Duryodhana, as the latter is on the deathbed at Kurukshetra. Duryodhana fumes with anger even while being about to die with several injuries. He feigns at Bhagawan Krishna for all that had happened in the Kurukshetra battlefield over the past eighteen days. Firstly, Duryodhana starts with criticizing Bhagawan Krishna for cheating him with the auspicious day for commencing the war. Secondly he blames Bhagawan Krishna for grossly misguiding Arjuna and misleading Yudishtra at several occasions during the war. He says that Bhagawan Krishna was solely responsible for the illegal and unethical killing of Bhishmachaarya (Using Shikhandi), Guru Dhronachaarya (By making him falsely believe that Ashwatthama is dead, and with this, Drishtadhyumna chopping off his head) and Karna (For attacking him when he was weaponless and without a chariot, standing on the ground). Finally when it comes to himself, Duryodhana alleges that it was Bhagawan Krishna who mooted this unethical idea of “hitting him below his waist” to Bheemasena. Overall, Duryodhana squarely blames Bhagawan Krishna for all the mishaps that have happened to him and his entire family!
As Duryodhana fumes with anger thus, it is now time for Bhagawan Krishna to respond. Till Duryodhana finished his lengthy accord of all accusations, Bhagawan Krishna never opened his mouth! He allowed Duryodhana to pour everything out of his mind through his words. As Duryodhana completes his accord, Bhagawan Krishna responds back thus, “Oh Duryodhana! For all what has happened on the battlefield for the past eighteen days, you are the one who is solely responsible! You were the one who was solely responsible for the demise of Bhishmachaarya, Guru Dhronachaarya and all your ninety-nine brothers. The entire eleven-”Akshauhini”-Sainya (Army) of yours got destroyed because of one person called Duryodhana! Your character and behaviour were solely responsible for this widespread destruction! If the fault is on you, why are you squarely trying to put the blame on others? Oh Duryodhana! Have you forgotten what all you’ve done all through your life, which led to this disaster? If you have not, you will not talk this way!”
As Bhagawan says thus, this is a very important point that all of us have to ponder within ourselves as well – Normally we have a habit – We tend to forget the bad actions that we performed towards others, and when the “Karma” comes back and bites us, we will start blaming others for the disaster that we undergo! For instance, we would have committed a mistake some four or five years ago, and now, we would be facing the consequences of that mistake that we did. When we’re facing the consequence and when we start suffering, we will squarely blame someone else for this suffering, and little will we remember that it is due to our own mistakes that we’re suffering! Even if we remember the mistake, our mind will refuse to take responsibility and cognizance of the same while we suffer! This is human nature. Maybe at that time of committing the mistake, some people around us might have advised us not to commit it. But we would have turned deaf ears to their advice. Now when we are suffering because of that mistake, we would not be in a position to accept our fault and move on. Thus, we’ve to understand that both the “Kaaranam” (Reason) and “Kaariyam” (Action) lie in the same place only. Both these things cannot exist in different places. For instance, if I fall sick with a cold / fever, it is because I would have had an ice-cream or would have been drenched in the rain the previous day. However, for the cold / fever that I get, can it be as a result of my neighbour drenching in the rain? Or, if someone else eats an ice cream, will I get a cold / fever? Thus, it is clear that the “Kaaranam” (Eating the ice cream) and “Kaaryam” (Falling sick) are in the same place only, which is within me!
This is exactly the same thing that Bhagawan Krishna is trying to highlight to Duryodhana here. The “Kaaranam” (Duryodhana’s unethical conduct and behaviour) lies in himself, and because of this, the “Kaaryam” (Disaster in the war) has happened. Thus, Bhagawan Krishna highlights the point here that the “Kaaryam” (Duryodhana’s suffering) is because of Duryodhana’s “Kaaranam”, wherein he tried to kill the Paandava brothers several times, insulted Draupati in the courtroom during the gambling game episode, sending the Paandava brothers to the forest for thirteen years of exile for no fault of theirs, not returning the Indraprastha kingdom of Yudishtra after the thirteen-year exile period, etc. If all these “Kaaranams” are there on Duryodhana’s head, how can he pin the blame on to someone else (Here in this context, Bhagawan Krishna) for the disaster that he is facing?
So for today, let us understand this important explanation given by Bhagawan Krishna to Duryodhana and we shall continue this discussion forward to see what Bhagawan has to say next in the next episode! Stay tuned!
The Indian Dharma 