Bhishma and Karna on Dharma
I love BR Chopra's Mahabharata rendition. None of the retellings of Mahabharata on television thereafter has compared to this. The way the characters have been explored in detail, the manner in which the essence of the story is retained is amazing.
Now I dont know if the scene depicted in attached youtube video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk7lK6zooDk , actually happened in the same manner in the actual text of Vyasa's Mahabharata - need to check this out and it may take sometime. But the discussion and dialogues are simply too good to not comment upon it. And in particular one idea which struck me from my own experience and that is about the reality that each one of us, at the end of the day, having to find his or her own dharma. That while we have family and loved ones and friends and social circle and whatnot, the truth is that our soul is alone on this path of dharma (which probably in the end leads to moksha).
So the discussion in this particular clip is between Karna and Bhishma as the grandsire lays upon the bed of arrows. It almost seems like two souls speaking to each other, not two individuals with bodies. Look at the setting, its late in night - no one is around. Bhishma lies lonely, yet perhaps content, on the bed of arrows. While Karna, who could very happily be seated in his camp, comes seeking this lonely tete-e-tete with Bhishma. So a soul which even though alone is content and another soul which even in midst of everyone is discontent.
What more..Karna should have been happy. It was because of the grandsire's insistence that Karna was not allowed to fight while Bhishma was the supreme general of the Kauravas. Now with Bhishma out of the picture, Karna should have been happy. Yet he isn't.
You know, this gave me one clarity just as I penned the above words (this usually happens!). One of my earliest favorite characters of Mahabharata is Karna. And if you ask around, this would be so for many people. Many, especially in today's world, have an affinity towards Karna, that they dont have for even the Pandavas or Sri Krishna or any other character. One must applaud Sri Vyasa for such a fleshed out characterization of Karna. Why do we like Karna - because most of the souls are like him - neither too good, nor too bad, roiled by insecurities and challenges, feeling wronged by the world around, having justification for one's irresponsible (if not unrighteous) behaviour. We like Karna, because he seems most like us.
But that's due to the level of evolution of one's soul. When spirituality is awakened, then one appreciates dharma better. My current favorite is Yudhishtira. Wait for some more articles, I am gonna gaga on him! But perhaps if I truly evolve spiritually, then one day my favorite will be Sri Krishna Vasudeva. Thats the ultimate goal. I must have improved to some extent, because at least I dont find him villianous now. I remember once debating with my dad of how unfair, unrighteous Krishna was! But that was long time back.
Coming back from the detour to Karna and Bhishma, Karna asks Bhishma's permission to fight. Bhishma says (and this is such a well written line) - that while he cannot give him that permission, he will only exhort Karna to do as per his Dharma. Karna had asked Bhishma earlier that just like him, he was also bound by his loyalty and vows to Duryodhana and hence he cannot but fight for Duryodhana. And that Bhishma of all people, should understand how sacrosanct vows are!
Bhishma's answer is classic Mahabharata, about the subtlety of Dharma (as Gurcharan Das title goes). Bhjshma says that we walk this path of dharma alone, there are no easy answers. Each one has to find the right one for oneself. Its not like examination answer - copy-paste. You have to think about this for yourself.
At work, where a man spends lot of his time in life, there are times, when one is alone. One has to find his own answers of how to best go about doing one's job, whether to do something or not, how to deal with the people around, how to deal with one's boss or manage subordinates etc. I take the example of career and work, because this most people can relate to. But truly this is a question, not just for career but for our entire life.
Indeed come to think of it, this is the most important question in our lives to answer. What is my dharma. What am I supposed to do - "do" in the context of my life's work, "do" in the context of relationships and responsibilities, "do" in the context of right or wrong, moral or immoral. How many of us, even think about such questions deeply.
What am I supposed to do in this birth of mine, to ensure that whatever this birth was supposed to do, is done. Whatever I have come to this earth for, is accomplished. There are some karmas, some experiences that we have to go through. What are those things, what are the lessons we are supposed to learn - have we learnt them? The Puranas depict this frequently with the extreme examples of various beings who are cursed and hence have to go through some experience. When they have experienced that, then they become free of the curse or limitation. Dharma, thus truly is knowing the purpose of one's birth and ensure that it is done. Some of us may have been born to have experiences with regards to relationships, some regarding work or career, some regarding spiritual learning, some regarding contribution to society, some even related to their health and body. It could be different for each person.
In my current situation, Destiny has forced to me to think deeply - and I thank Her for forcibly giving me a hiatus in life to pause and think. For I was just foolishly working and not thinking. I was doing somethings for sure. But Destiny wanted a more forceful full stop, rather than just a mere comma, so that I truly begin a new sentence. I only hope that I know soon how to begin this new sentence :-)
I love BR Chopra's Mahabharata rendition. None of the retellings of Mahabharata on television thereafter has compared to this. The way the characters have been explored in detail, the manner in which the essence of the story is retained is amazing.
Now I dont know if the scene depicted in attached youtube video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk7lK6zooDk , actually happened in the same manner in the actual text of Vyasa's Mahabharata - need to check this out and it may take sometime. But the discussion and dialogues are simply too good to not comment upon it. And in particular one idea which struck me from my own experience and that is about the reality that each one of us, at the end of the day, having to find his or her own dharma. That while we have family and loved ones and friends and social circle and whatnot, the truth is that our soul is alone on this path of dharma (which probably in the end leads to moksha).
So the discussion in this particular clip is between Karna and Bhishma as the grandsire lays upon the bed of arrows. It almost seems like two souls speaking to each other, not two individuals with bodies. Look at the setting, its late in night - no one is around. Bhishma lies lonely, yet perhaps content, on the bed of arrows. While Karna, who could very happily be seated in his camp, comes seeking this lonely tete-e-tete with Bhishma. So a soul which even though alone is content and another soul which even in midst of everyone is discontent.
What more..Karna should have been happy. It was because of the grandsire's insistence that Karna was not allowed to fight while Bhishma was the supreme general of the Kauravas. Now with Bhishma out of the picture, Karna should have been happy. Yet he isn't.
You know, this gave me one clarity just as I penned the above words (this usually happens!). One of my earliest favorite characters of Mahabharata is Karna. And if you ask around, this would be so for many people. Many, especially in today's world, have an affinity towards Karna, that they dont have for even the Pandavas or Sri Krishna or any other character. One must applaud Sri Vyasa for such a fleshed out characterization of Karna. Why do we like Karna - because most of the souls are like him - neither too good, nor too bad, roiled by insecurities and challenges, feeling wronged by the world around, having justification for one's irresponsible (if not unrighteous) behaviour. We like Karna, because he seems most like us.
But that's due to the level of evolution of one's soul. When spirituality is awakened, then one appreciates dharma better. My current favorite is Yudhishtira. Wait for some more articles, I am gonna gaga on him! But perhaps if I truly evolve spiritually, then one day my favorite will be Sri Krishna Vasudeva. Thats the ultimate goal. I must have improved to some extent, because at least I dont find him villianous now. I remember once debating with my dad of how unfair, unrighteous Krishna was! But that was long time back.
Coming back from the detour to Karna and Bhishma, Karna asks Bhishma's permission to fight. Bhishma says (and this is such a well written line) - that while he cannot give him that permission, he will only exhort Karna to do as per his Dharma. Karna had asked Bhishma earlier that just like him, he was also bound by his loyalty and vows to Duryodhana and hence he cannot but fight for Duryodhana. And that Bhishma of all people, should understand how sacrosanct vows are!
Bhishma's answer is classic Mahabharata, about the subtlety of Dharma (as Gurcharan Das title goes). Bhjshma says that we walk this path of dharma alone, there are no easy answers. Each one has to find the right one for oneself. Its not like examination answer - copy-paste. You have to think about this for yourself.
At work, where a man spends lot of his time in life, there are times, when one is alone. One has to find his own answers of how to best go about doing one's job, whether to do something or not, how to deal with the people around, how to deal with one's boss or manage subordinates etc. I take the example of career and work, because this most people can relate to. But truly this is a question, not just for career but for our entire life.
Indeed come to think of it, this is the most important question in our lives to answer. What is my dharma. What am I supposed to do - "do" in the context of my life's work, "do" in the context of relationships and responsibilities, "do" in the context of right or wrong, moral or immoral. How many of us, even think about such questions deeply.
What am I supposed to do in this birth of mine, to ensure that whatever this birth was supposed to do, is done. Whatever I have come to this earth for, is accomplished. There are some karmas, some experiences that we have to go through. What are those things, what are the lessons we are supposed to learn - have we learnt them? The Puranas depict this frequently with the extreme examples of various beings who are cursed and hence have to go through some experience. When they have experienced that, then they become free of the curse or limitation. Dharma, thus truly is knowing the purpose of one's birth and ensure that it is done. Some of us may have been born to have experiences with regards to relationships, some regarding work or career, some regarding spiritual learning, some regarding contribution to society, some even related to their health and body. It could be different for each person.
In my current situation, Destiny has forced to me to think deeply - and I thank Her for forcibly giving me a hiatus in life to pause and think. For I was just foolishly working and not thinking. I was doing somethings for sure. But Destiny wanted a more forceful full stop, rather than just a mere comma, so that I truly begin a new sentence. I only hope that I know soon how to begin this new sentence :-)
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