In the previous episode, we had witnessed the continuation of an important conversation between Duryodhana and Bhagawan Krishna. This comes at a time when Duryodhana is almost on the deathbed, with nobody to defend him on the battlefield. Bheemasena had inflicted fatal blows on Duryodhana, from which the latter could not get up anymore and retaliate. At this moment, Duryodhana fumes in anger and redirects his inability upon Bhagawan Krishna. He fumes that Bhagawan Krishna is the one who was solely responsible for the dismal state in which he is in currently! However, Bhagawan Krishna is quick to refute Duryodhana’s wild allegations. Bhagawan Krishna rewinds all the instances of the past and explains how Duryodhana is the one who is solely responsible for the entire fiasco that unfolded. Bhagawan Krishna talks about the “Kaarana-Kaaryam” relationship, which in Leadership and Management contexts today, is referred to as the “Cause-Effect Relationship”. In this context, it was Duryodhana who was the cause for all the disaster to unfold, and at the last moment, how fair will it be to blame someone else when the effect is against him? This is exactly what Bhagawan Krishna is trying to highlight here.
This can happen even in our lives as well – When we commit a mistake, we never think of the effect (repercussions) that might arise out of it. However, when the repercussions arise, we conveniently shift the blame on to someone else! Thus, this conversation between Bhagawan Krishna and Duryodhana is an eye-opener for all of us to introspect and reflect upon ourselves, so as to understand this important cause-effect relationship. If we’re experiencing suffering / difficulty, we should have the maturity to accept the fact that the cause for it lies within ourselves only. Moreover, Bhagawan Krishna continues to highlight Duryodhana’s mistakes one after the other to make him understand. Bhagawan Krishna says thus, “Oh Duryodhana! Now having said all this, let me list out your shortcomings, because of which you are in this state of affairs today – Firstly, right from your early childhood days, you have been in a wicked intention to kill the Paandava brothers for no fault of theirs. You were overpowered by jealousy towards them. You’ve tried several times to kill Bheemasena in particular – By pushing him into the water, by pushing him from a mountain cliff, by trying to feed poison into his food, etc. Secondly, you’ve failed to listen to the important words of advice of senior members of the courtroom like Bhishmachaarya, Guru Dhronachaarya, Sage Kripachaarya, etc. on several occasions. In fact, you’ve even gone on to abuse them and scold them with disrespectful words that should not be used. Thirdly, as a prince of the Hastinapura, you failed to look into the needs and wants of your subjects. Isn’t it your duty to protect the rights and lives of your people? Fourthly, you did not pay heed even to a single word of your father, King Dhritarashtra! When King Dhritarashtra did not approve of the gambling game to be played at the Hastinapura courtroom, what did you do? You insulted and abused your father and went ahead with the game. Isn’t this a gross disrespect to your own father? Fifthly, if there is a daughter-in-law in the house, you should respect her in all possible ways. Instead, what did you do? You insulted her and compared her to the level of a “Daasi” (Servant Maid). You even went to the extent of molesting her in public, with the help of your brother, Ducchaasana! Sixth – If a person is not willing to come for the gambling game, you forced him to come! This is a big mistake! Seventh – You never realized that this Bhagawan Krishna is Bhagawan Vishnu Himself, and you insulted me in front of everyone by digging a hole under my “Aasanam” (Chair). In between all this, you have earned the curses of several great “Maharishis” who came with a good intention of correcting you and mending your ways. Rather than respecting them and listening to the good things from them, you preferred to insult them with a high amount of disrespect!”
Bhagawan Krishna continues further thus, “Oh Duryodhana! It is not only about you getting curses from Maharishis. People around you have also earned several curses for themselves because of you. For instance, Karna had to earn several curses from Parasurama and other Brahmana Rishis because he was your able ally. Guru Dhronachaarya had his own curse. Bhishmachaarya was also inflicted with several curses. In this way, all the “Karma Phalam” (Effects of past “Karma”) came together to haunt all of you in the battlefield! If such is the case, aren’t you responsible for all these actions that you’ve performed? When you performed all the “Adharmic” actions, did you even think for a single moment that whatever you’re doing is going to inflict severe backlash upon you at some stage in your life? Hence, Duryodhana! Stop blaming others for what you’re experiencing currently! You are in this state of affairs, solely because of your own actions!”
Saying thus, Bhagawan Krishna gives a lengthy reply to Duryodhana’s accusations and for today, let us understand up to this point! We shall wait till the next episode to continue this discussion forward! Stay tuned!
The Indian Dharma 