In the previous episode, we had witnessed Yudishtra’s response to Arjuna’s accord over the debate on Yudishtra’s stance on entering the “Vaanaprastha-Ashramam”. Even as Arjuna, Nakula and Draupati try to convince Yudishtra not to take that route, Yudishtra is seemingly not convinced. During the previous episode, we started witnessing Yudishtra’s response, wherein we were hopeful that Yudishtra would change his mind. However, with the response that Yudishtra is giving, it only seems that he’s trying to justify his stance more and more. We’ve seen Yudishtra talking about King Janaka, who was a Raja-Rishi himself, being extremely successful in his pursuit towards “Tapas”. Being an ardent disciple of Sage Yajnavalkya, King Janaka was one exceptional king who was extremely detached towards his kingdom, but still was an exceptional leader. Yudishtra narrates one anecdote from King Janaka’s life to highlight why he wants to go down the same path as his. Yudishtra explains how King Janaka was unmoved from his seat when Sage Yajnavalkya created an illusion of the entire Mithila Desha being on fire, while all the other disciples started running here and there, panicked by it!
Yudishtra continues further with this important accord of King Janaka thus, “Once everybody understood that it was not a real fire, but a mere illusion, all the disciples came back to their seats and sat down. As everybody assembled back, Sage Yajnavalkya spoke thus, “Oh disciples! All of you ran amok when you witnessed fire! But here is King Janaka who did not even move from his seat! All of you are sages without any possessions at a personal level. Given this fact, if there was a fire at Mithilapuri, why did all of you panic? What was the need to jump up and run like how you did? Even if the fire would have been real, what would you have lost at the maximum? Your minimal pairs of clothes, and a very few possessions like this, which you use every day for your routine activities, isn’t it? However, an entire kingdom was on fire (Illusion), and here is the ruler of that kingdom sitting without moving an inch! With this, the dedication that you have towards the lessons and the same of King Janaka could never be matched! Even though King Janaka’s entire city went up in flames, he never chose to move. This shows his immense devotion to learning!” As Sage Yajnavalkya explains thus, King Janaka intervenes and says thus, “Oh great Sage! Let me tell you why I did not get up. The moment all of us saw Mithila Desha going up in flames, I quickly understood that it was not real. I immediately understood that this fire was a mere illusion. Hence, I chose not to move from my place! Moreover, this entire kingdom is not me! Even if my body would have gone up in flames, I would not have moved from my seat, as I’m not my body! I’m the “Atman”. With all the lessons that you’ve taught me till today, this is what I’ve understood!”
Highlighting this incident from King Janaka’s life, Yudishtra continues to say thus, “Oh Arjuna! Look at how King Janaka was extremely detached! Even though he was a great king, he did not care even an inch if the whole kingdom went up on fire! Such is the dedication that we’re seeing in King Janaka. Oh Arjuna! Why can’t I replicate what King Janaka has done? One can be a king, but in a highly detached state!”
By looking at Yudishtra’s narrative here, we might be convinced that he has not changed his stance as yet. He still wants to go to the forest and assume the “Vaanaprastha-Ashramam”, by leaving everything and everybody behind. He wants to become a “Raaja-Rishi” like how King Janaka was. By looking at how Yudishtra is drawing parallels with King Janaka, this is the immediate inference that we can make. Yudishtra hasn’t changed his stance as yet. From this accord, we will also be thinking thus – We can also shun our duties no matter what happens around us! Is this what Yudishtra is trying to propagate? Let us have an interesting debate on this point in the upcoming episode! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 