After a long penance in Gurukul, a shishya learns and perceives the teachings of his Guru. The receiving end is strengthened, through severe practice and hard work. The shishya imbibes the virtues being rendered by His Guru. But, the equilibrium in the strata of brain and mental faculties is possible between a ‘teacher and the student’. The same is impossible in the case of Guru and shishya. The shishya might gain the position of a Guru, after penance and practice, but the treasure of virtues and experiences cannot be replicated by the shishya. Before His Guru, he will always remain a shishya and an aspect ever ready to bloom beyond infinity. A shishya can become a Guru, but the original virtues cannot be duplicated.
This is an emphatic explanation of the underlying story. Let us surrender ourselves at the Divine feet of Lord and read this write-up, for the moral is imbibed as rendered.
We all are aware about the skeleton of the story of Mahabharata, the grand epic. The land of Kurukshetra is not the region of bloodshed and warfare, but the birth place of Gita. Let us take a brief look at a little portion of the epic.
One day, Sri Krishna was resting in His room. Duryodhana came in, and sat near Him. Arjuna also entered and stood near His feet. Soon, Sri Krishna opened His eyes and blessed Arjuna. Duryodhana was annoyed as he wished to prove his punctuality. He asked Krishna for the reason of blessing Arjuna first, despite he came earlier. Krishna said that He was unaware about his presence, as he was near His head. (1)
Then, He asked both of them about the reason for visiting Him. Duryodhana said that he wanted the boon first. Krishna asked Him about his wish. He asked Krishna about the assets He could give him, for the war. Krishna smiled and said that He could give His Narayani army and He Himself, as a charioteer. He, also, proclaimed that He would not use any arms or ammunitions, in the war. Duryodhana asked for the mighty Narayani sena, and left happily. Arjuna rejoiced that Krishna, the incarnation would be with them in the war.
The Narayani army was deputed. Balaram, Sri Krishna’s elder brother was also the part of the regiment. He denied and said that he would not take part in war of Kurukshetra, as Bheema and Duryodhana had been his students. So, it would be a wrong decision on the part of their Guru. He resigned. The resignation by Balaram Ji caused the army size to remain one-third of the original herd. The head of the army had been the student of Arjuna, in the practice of archery. He went to Krishna and pleaded before him, to take him in Him party. He could not fight against his Guru. Krishna agreed and asked him, to fight from their side. The remaining fragment began pleading as well, as they too couldn’t use arms against their trainer and Lord, Sri Krishna. Krishna convinced them and told that he had given His words to Duryodhana. Listening the words, the remaining army agreed, but asked for a strength. They asked Lord to give them strength to see the party of Arjuna and Krishna with blank faces. Krishna agreed and rendered the boon. They could see only some faces, with nullified recognition.
Then, war began and ended with victory of the Pandavas. During the war, when Krishna enunciated the Gita, to Arjuna, and showed His opulent form, all the people (the Kauravas, Guru Dronacharya, Guru Kripacharaya, Bheeshma, them members of Narayani army, the Pandavas and the rest saw it, except Vidhur, Balaram and the two-third fragment of army couldn’t) on the battlefield saw it. Duryodhana also saw it. Even, Dhritrashtra and Sanjay saw the magnificent form of Krishna. But, then delusion muddled their minds, back to normal.(2)
The Narayani army fought with immense valor in the war, against the Pandavas. At the end of war, all the army men were hale and hearty, without a scratch or bruise. Seeing the army, Krishna smiled and blessed them saying that it was good on the part of the people who fought from their part, but the ones who fought against them, under the command of the Guru are supreme.(3)
| (1) The sanskaras are very important. Whenever a younger one, interacts with the elder one, he or she remains grounded at Their feet. The Elders are like Guru, who are ought to be respected. |
| (2) When the sun rises in the sky, it illuminates all the creations on theplanet. It depends on the receiving end, and the perceptions he or she takes (about the form being explained, here). Duryodhana saw the form, but his stubborn outlook towards life, forced him to veil his eyes with ignorance. |
| (3) The obedience is the most important asset in a spiritual life. The words of the Guru are ought to be accepted, as being rendered, renouncing the logics to question the command. |
| The footnotes for elaborate justification. |
