Episode # 1257 – “I’m going to renounce everything & descend to the forest!” – Yudishtra laments!!!

In the previous episode, we had witnessed the continuation of the conversation between Sage Naarada and Yudishtra, with Bhishmachaarya, Bhagawan Krishna, Sage Vyaasa and several important Maharishis in attendance. The conversation is originally between Yudishtra and Bhishmachaarya, however, as Yudishtra asked more about Karna’s unfortunate destiny, Sage Naarada intervenes and explains the facts of the past and how Karna was trapped into many misfortunes, knowingly and unknowingly. Listening to all this, Yudishtra is getting frustrated more and more. He trains his guns towards his mother, Kunthi Devi and scolds her for the gross blunder of sabotaging Karna’s life completely. Had she disclosed about Karna’s background at an earlier time, Yudishtra feels that this great disaster could have been averted and his elder brother Karna would have been alive today to rule Hastinapura kingdom rightfully. Lamenting thus, Yudishtra inflicts a curse on Kunthi Devi and on all womanhood that secrecy will never be possible for women in this world! In other words, women cannot hold back any important confidential or secret information with them. This means, nobody will have trust over women, if there is something confidential. 

Moving on from here thus, Yudishtra is now starting to talk that he is more interested in going to the forest, rather than ruling the kingdom as a king. Yudishtra says thus, “Oh Bhishmachaarya! Oh Sage Naarada! Oh Bhagawan Krishna! Looking at this disastrous consequence of the Kurukshetra war, I have a feeling that I’ve been doing gross “Adharma” to myself and to my people. As a “Kshatrya” warrior, it is my duty to protect my people. However, what have I done? I’ve killed my own brother, and not only that – I’ve killed several other people who had no fault or connection with Duryodhana in any way! I’ve killed my own Guru (Guru Dhronachaarya)! I’ve been responsible for that entire fiasco which unfolded! Guru Dhronachaarya came to me with a pained heart on that fateful day during the battle! I had to lie to him that Ashwatthama is no more! Isn’t this a gross “Adharma” – Lying to a person at a crucial person, and that too to your own Guru? Moreover, as per the generic “Dharma” that we should not hurt any living being in this world, have I lived up to it? Instead, I’ve ended up not only hurting, but also killing several thousands of people in the Kurukshetra battlefield! How am I going to live with peace and harmony after doing all these? Firstly, I’ve disobeyed the “Dharma” of a “Kshatrya” of protecting my people. Secondly, I’ve disobeyed the “Dharma” of being truthful to others, by grossly lying to my own Guru. Thirdly, I’ve disobeyed the “Dharma” of not causing hurt to other living beings. After disobeying several aspects of “Dharma” like this, how can I live peacefully? How will I be able to administer the kingdom properly? Am I really qualified to be a righteous king? If I stay in the Hastinapura palace and enjoy all the luxuries of the kingdom, won’t it be grossly unfair? Won’t people say that I’m enjoying everything after killing everyone? Won’t it be like abducting the wealth of someone else for my own enjoyment and satisfaction? Oh Bhagawan Krishna! Oh Bhishmachaarya! I know that I’m going to get the most painful “Naraka Lokha” ever at the end of my life! This is grossly inevitable! Hence, I feel that I’ve become a traitor to my own people, to my own family members, friends, etc. Having become a traitor to all my near and dear ones, how on earth can I be an able administrator? Hence, I feel that the time has come for me to renounce my life and descend to the forest!” 

As Yudishtra says thus, he breaks down and falls on the floor, even as all the important people around him are looking on. Saying thus, Yudishtra continues further – “Oh Bhagawan Krishna! Oh Bhishmachaarya and the others! By descending to the forest, atleast I shall have an opportunity to purify myself from all this dirt that I’ve accumulated by being in this country. Atleast, I shall have an opportunity to interact with people in the forest who are epitomes of “Dharma” in several aspects such as talking the truth, not hurting anyone unnecessarily, not killing / harming any living being unnecessarily, not having jealousy on others, etc. Oh Bhagawan Krishna! Perhaps, only those who reside in the forest can practice “Detachment” completely and attain “Moksha”. Hence, I think I should give up all my identities as a ruler and move to the forest quietly!” 

This one sentence of Yudishtra triggers a huge conversation from here on. Yudishtra, out of frustration utters this sentence wrongly – Perhaps only those who reside in the forest can attain “Moksha” or “Sadhgathi”! Of course, it is understandable that Yudishtra is talking out of frustration, but this sentence that he spoke is grossly wrong! As Yudishtra utters thus, all the people assembled there, including Sage Naarada, Bhishmachaarya, etc. are going to pounce on him with a lot of counter questions. Now, Yudishtra is going to have a lot of answering to do from all these important personalities assembled there! So what are the counter questions that Sage Naarada and Co. are going to ask Yudishtra? Let us wait and discuss them in the next episode! Stay tuned! 🙂