Tag: indian culture (Page 1 of 11)

Dronabhisheka Parva is the sixty fifth Upa parva included in the seventh Maha parva named as Drona parva. Vaishampayana continued narration to Janamejaya in reply to his queries as follows.

After Bhishma had fallen, who had been suggested to be the commander-in-chief for Duryodhana side army and by whom?

On the eleventh day morning, Karna had visited Duryodhana with his bow and quiver full of arrows along with reserve stock in his chariot, loyally seeking permission to take an active part in the war to satisfy Duryodhana. Duryodhana was very happy and the other soldiers of his regiment also felt overjoyed. So he approached Bhishma for his permissions.

To his surprise, he found Arjuna prostrating before Bhishma there. Bhishma was lying on the bed of arrows. That site was at the side of Kurukshetra battle ground. Duryodhana had managed to dig the protective trenches around Bhishma to the satisfaction of Bhishma. Then Karna suggested Duryodhana to install Drona as the next commander-in-chief for the Duryodhana side army. It was accomplished by Duryodhana immediately.

What Arjuna had done on the eleventh day morning?

With Yudhishtira and other brothers, Arjuna had visited Bhishma in the early morning. Arjuna prostrated before Bhishma and enquired about his comforts but immediately found Karna also behind him. Bhishma had requested Arjuna for drinking water where he was laid up in the battlefield. Arjuna started to fix his bow with some special arrow with concentration on himself. Karna observed him.

Why Arjuna used Parjanyastra similar to Shree Rama in Tretayuga?

Bhagavad Gita Parva is the sixty third Upa parva included in the sixth Maha parva named as Bhishma parva. Vyasa Maharshi had composed Mahabharata.

नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमं । 
देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जय मुदीरयेत्त् ॥

Meaning: Prostrating Narayana, the best man among the human beings, the Goddess Saraswathi, Vyasa, and later, the name ‘Jaya’ should be pronounced.

In his original work in Sanskrit language, Vyasa had written more than thousand verses in Bhagavadgita Upa parva called by the original name as Jaya. After many years, many editions by many others have evolved.

The present version of Bhagavadgita contains seven hundred Sanskrit verses and it was compiled by Adi Shankaracharya, for the convenience of history-worshipping readers. The esteemed readers are requested to have a printed hard copy of Bhagavadgita and it is always recommended to refer it frequently than this electronic format. The same book was preserved for centuries in palm leaf bundles.

Vaishampayana continued narration to Janamejaya in reply to his queries as follows.

How many times Sanjaya had reported to Dritarashtra about the war?

Sanjaya had reported four times to Dritarashtra about the war. Initially, he reported on the tenth day of the evening of the war. As usual, after collection of data of war proceedings, Sanjaya had returned to his home near Hastinavati from Kurukshetra at five o’clock on the evening of the Great War. He had started in the early morning before nine o’clock from his home.

For the initial ten days, Sanjaya had been regularly following his duty schedule like a regular media reporter for data collection. He had slept for eight hours daily during those nights. From nine o’clock in the morning till five o’clock in the evening, he gathered all the war related data and kept in memory to report in detail to Dritarashtra. He had reported his data collections four times to Dritarashtra about the great Mahabharata war including its consequences.

On the tenth day, Sanjaya had visited Dritarashtra, disclosed the news of falling of Bhishma (Patana means falling in Sanskrit). For the first time, Sanjaya reported Dritarashtra regarding the advancement of Shikhandi with aiming arrows towards Bhishma. He had fallen due to the aimed arrows of Shikhandi, while Bhishma had held his bow in one hand and arrow in the other hand, had suddenly recognised Shikhandi but fell down on the Earth in the battlefield. It was reported by Sanjaya on the tenth day evening. Like this, he had reported for the second time on the evening of the thirteenth day after Drona had fallen.

Rathatiratha-Sankhya Parva is the fifty ninth Upa parva included in the fifth Maha parva named as Udyoga parva. Vaishampayana continued narration to Janamejaya in reply to his queries as follows.

Immediately after the return of Uluka, Yudhishtira had opined with Drishtadyuma to be the Senapathi, means the commander for his leading active army. Drishtadyumna was given army camping order at his choice. Yudhishtira had announced Drona as his enemy target and had suggested to his other six commanders the various other enemy war targets. During the war, surrendering of enemies was the main aim but self-defense was inevitable. Killing was not desired from the side of Yudhishtira. Everybody on the side of Yudhishtira would follow war time rules. Each commanders would blow the conch to start or stop the war. 

Why Yudhishtira allotted the seven commanders in chief with enemy targets?

The seven commanders on the side of Yudhishtira were assigned enemy targets on the co-option methods. Drishtadyuma had already got Drona as the opposite target of the war suggested by Yudhishtira. This process is called as Senapati Niyoga before starting the war. Shikhandi was assigned Bhishma. Sahadeva got Shakuni. The five Upapandavas, means the five sons of Draupadi were kept in the reserve against the five Trigarta Princes. Chekitana was against Shala. Shaibhya got Kritavarma. Arjuna got Karna. Bhima got Duryodhana. Abhimanyu was kept in reserve but arranged against Vrishasena and other strong kings since he was more able than his father Arjuna. These were flexible assignments; in the field, each and every fighting soldier has to face any kind of enemies who came in his front row. Drishtadyumna was free to lead in the war taking his own war-time decisions.   

What information from Bhishma was desired by Duryodhana?

Duryodhana had already assigned Bhishma as the commander-in-chief for his army troops. Hence he desired to know from his open mouth and loud voice about the capabilities of his side, details of leading and succeeding soldiers. The army ranks were referred as Atirathas, Rathas and Ardha Rathas. 

As per Bhishma, who were Athirathas?

Karna Vivada Parva or Karnopanivada Parva is the fifty fifth Upa Parva included in the fifth Maha Parva named as Udyoga Parva in Mahabharata.

The story of Mahabharata and the Bhagavata Purana were written by the sage Vyasa Maharshi. Vyasa was the teacher of Vaishampayana Rishi and Krishna was depicted as the incarnation of God Vishnu in both of them. In Purana, devotion to God was described as the main theme. Here in Mahabharata, Arjuna had been depicted as the main hero; he was the father of the grandfather of the listener of the story, Janamejaya and he was free to ask any doubtful queries in between the narrations of his ancestor’s life.  After the actual events, more than one century time had already passed then, and the Ashwamedha Yaga was going on at the palace in the Town of Takshashila. 

Kripa was the old family priest of Pandavas and Krishna instructed him to give good education to Pareekshit, then child, the Prince of Abhimanyu was being very young. Krishna blessed Kripa to be living always as a Chiranjeevi. After the great Mahabharata war, the palace at Hastinavati needed renovation and was getting it done slowly. The Dwapara Yuga had ended and after Krishna Niryana, Kaliyuga had started. Kripa had left for his penance at Himalaya in Badarikashram with Veda Vyasa Maharshi, after completion of his teachings to Pareekshit and installing him on the throne as king. Pareekshit had shifted his palace to Takshashila but died at the age of sixty.

Later, the young Janamejaya had assumed the kingship at Takshashila with the blessings of his people. After stopping the Sarpa Yaga, this Ashvamedha Yaga was started in this palace of Janamejaya at the Town of Takshashila. There was no animal sacrifice in that yaga, but this story of ‘Mahabharata’ was narrated by Rishi Vaishampayana, as a virtuous hearing to pass the holy time for the king and the Suta Puranikas of Naimisharanya  had also attended the auspicious occacion.

Vaishampayana continued his narrations to Janamejaya as follows.

What Krishna discussed with Karna and how did Sanjaya narrate it to Dritarashtra?

After coming out of the court hall with Satyaki and Kritavarma, Krishna desired to ascend his chariot accompanying Karna and hence called him to come along with him. So Karna came and sat near Krishna on the chariot and started their discussions. Krishna told Karna about his birth stories and Karna agreed with him but also replied that the old events were known to him. Krishna requested Karna to join with Yudhishtira and start to rule as an Emperor. Yudhistira would be the prince and all Pandavas would be his servants. Being the eldest son of Kunti, he could shine as an Emperor in the whole world. He could lead a pleasant, glorious future life and avoid the war. Sanjaya told it to Dritarashtra later. 

What was the answer of Karna to Krishna for his tempting offers?

Bhagavad Yana Parva is the fifty fourth upa parva included in the fifth maha parva, named as Udyoga parva. This upa parva is also called as Krishna Anusandhana parva. This is the third most popular upa parva in the Mahabharat, with the first one being Bhagavad Geetha parva and the second one being Vishnu Sahasranama of Shanthi Parva. Vaishampayana continued the narration to Janamejaya as follows.

After sending Sanjaya back to Kurukshetra from Upaplava, Yudhishtira thought, his one reliable person was always Krishna, so his next turn and task would be to beg for his help. Before starting the dice game with Shakuni, Yudhishtira had forgotten Krishna. That lapse or mistake was very serious and resulted in thirteen years of sufferings. Hence Yudhishtira thought if Krishna was consulted before telling anything to anybody, or to order before the seven Akshohini soldiers, better results would be guaranteed.

In this parva, Krishna was chosen as an ambassador of peace treaty for the side of Yudhishtira at Upaplava. At Nagasahvaya, on the same day, Duryodhana showed his egoistic nature of power in the court debate leading to the boycotting of Bhishma from his court session for that day. 

Why didn’t Yudhishtira initially show interest in sending Krishna?

Yudhishtira had desired only to consult Krishna after the returning of Sanjaya to Kurukshetra. But he had not shown any interest or intention in sending him to the Palace of Duryodhana or to his court session. Yudhishtira thought Krishna would be physically hurt or insulted if sent alone to the court of Duryodhana, since for the past many years, his experience showed the negligence of Krishna by the Kauravas and their companions.

What Yudhishtira told to Krishna before sending him as an ambassador?