Question on Mahabharata

December 16, 2005

*If any of the learned members can share some thoughts on the following

question it would be appreciated. The answer may be in the epic

Mahabharata but I cannot remember it now.

Who was the leader of the Pandava army? Was it Arjuna or Yuddishtra? I

ask because Yuddishtra was older so technically he would have been in

charge according to the Hindu traditions. Arjuna seems more visible in

the leadership position even though he is the third oldest brother after

Yuddishtra and Bhima (not counting Karna).

Thank you,

Harsha*

December 16, 2005

Harshaji

The leader is neither Arjuna nor YudhishTara. The commander of the

Pandava's Army was Drupada's son or brother-in-law of Pandavas - who is

also the student of Dronaacharya and was in fact born to kill Drona.

Hari OM!

Sadananda

--- Harsha wrote:

> *If any of the learned members can share some thoughts on the

> following

> question it would be appreciated. The answer may be in the epic

> Mahabharata but I cannot remember it now.

>

> Who was the leader of the Pandava army? Was it Arjuna or Yuddishtra? I

>

> ask because Yuddishtra was older so technically he would have been in

> charge according to the Hindu traditions. Arjuna seems more visible in

>

> the leadership position even though he is the third oldest brother

> after

> Yuddishtra and Bhima (not counting Karna).

>

> Thank you,

> Harsha*

>

December 17, 2005

There was no question of elder or younger according to chronplogical

age.Sri.Dhrishaddhyuna son of sri.Drupadha and brother of sow.Draupathi was made

the commander-in chief of Paandava army with sri.Krishna's consent and he

remained in that post till the end of the 18 days war-ssrvj

Harsha wrote: *If any of the learned members can share some

thoughts on the following

question it would be appreciated. The answer may be in the epic

Mahabharata but I cannot remember it now.

Who was the leader of the Pandava army? Was it Arjuna or Yuddishtra? I

ask because Yuddishtra was older so technically he would have been in

charge according to the Hindu traditions. Arjuna seems more visible in

the leadership position even though he is the third oldest brother after

Yuddishtra and Bhima (not counting Karna).

Thank you,

Harsha*

Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy of nonseparablity of Atman

and Brahman.

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December 17, 2005

*Thank you Sadaji. I will have to refresh my facts. A few days ago, I

was looking at Abhimnanyu's death in the Mahabharata war. When I was

young I had read that Arjuna was telling his wife about war strategies

when Abhimanyu heard part of it in his mother's womb. However, there

seem to be other versions of the story as well. In one version Krishna

was telling his sister Subhadhra when Abhimnanyu was in the womb and in

another version Abhimannyu overheard Krishna and Arjuna talking about

it. Which English translation of Mahabharata would be the closest to the

original? Thank you in advance Sadaji and to all the learned members.

Harsha

*

kuntimaddi sadananda wrote:

> Harshaji

> The leader is neither Arjuna nor YudhishTara. The commander of the

> Pandava's Army was Drupada's son or brother-in-law of Pandavas - who is

> also the student of Dronaacharya and was in fact born to kill Drona.

> Hari OM!

> Sadananda

>

> --- Harsha wrote:

>

> > *If any of the learned members can share some thoughts on the

> > following

> > question it would be appreciated. The answer may be in the epic

> > Mahabharata but I cannot remember it now.

> >

> > Who was the leader of the Pandava army? Was it Arjuna or Yuddishtra? I

> >

> > ask because Yuddishtra was older so technically he would have been in

> > charge according to the Hindu traditions. Arjuna seems more visible in

> >

> > the leadership position even though he is the third oldest brother

> > after

> > Yuddishtra and Bhima (not counting Karna).

> >

> > Thank you,

> > Harsha*

> >

December 17, 2005

Harshaji

I also studied as Arjuna talking about it to Subhadra. As he was

describing how to break open the padmavyuuham and enter - he was going

to tell how to exit also, then Krishna enters the scene and stops the

conversation - He knows that Abhimanyu was learning and Krishna does not

want him to learn how to exit out of padmavyuuham.

When the time came, Drona plans for padmavyuuham to capture YudhishhTara

- since once the king is captured the war is over. Drona says I can do

that if someone takes Arjuna away from the scene since as long as Arjuna

is there no one can steal YudhishhTara. So Duryodhana arranges for

that, by distracting Arjuna to engage in a war with someone else who can

take him far away from the central scene. Drona plans for padmavyuuham

knowing very well that except Arjuna no one else can break it open. He

did not count on Abhimanyu. When YudhishhTara is faced with the

challenge - Abhimanyu comes forward and says he can break it open but

does not know how to get out. Bhima and other brothers promise

Abhimanyu that they will be behind him and once it is break open, they

will enter and destroy it. To make things complicated, Duryodhana's

brother-in-law (what is his name? - Saindhava) comes forward since he

just got a boon from Shiva that he can challenge any of the brothers

except Arjuna for one day and remain victorious. It looked like

everything was set up for the killing of Abhimanyu - He become so

dangerous to kouravaas that all the kouravaas had to pounce together as

one in order to subdue him, which is illegal and immoral as well. He was

in fact killed when he ran out of all gadgets. - This is illegal and

immortal act of kouravas - Karna and Drona both had to pay the

consequences of their action. Their death was bought about in the same

way. Krishna who is the suutradhaari knew very well he had to set up

the situation for kourava-s own demise. If kouravas acted in dhaarmic

way, Krishna would have more difficulty to exterminate them - perhaps

there would not be any reason to exterminate them either if they are

dhaarmic. If Abhimanyu, who is Krishna's student and is very powerful

can also become more dangerous later since unlike Arjuna's case, he does

not have Dharmaraja to put him in line. Krishna plays a multifaceted

drama to establish the dharma. He even sets up a plot to destroy his own

clan - yadava-s since they are becoming adharmic.

He might not have imagained that one by name Laluprasad will take their

clan's name Yadav to destroy Bhaarat!- On the second thought may be He

has a plan! -

The last side remark is not meant for further discussion on Lalu Prasad

Yadav.

Hari OM!

Sadananda

--- Harsha wrote:

> *Thank you Sadaji. I will have to refresh my facts. A few days ago, I

> was looking at Abhimnanyu's death in the Mahabharata war. When I was

> young I had read that Arjuna was telling his wife about war strategies

December 19, 2005

My dear Sir,

As I remember it , It was neither.It was Drustadyumna, the brother of

Panchali who was the commander in chief of the Pandava Army. With best

wishes, Ramachander

Please visit THE web site www.homestead.com/keralaiyers. Wish you all the best.

December 19, 2005

"In one version Krishna

was telling his sister Subhadhra when Abhimnanyu was in the womb"

This version is only correct.Sri.Rajaji's(sri.C.Rajagopalachari-ex and first

Indiann Governor-General of India) Maha Bharatha published by Bharathiya Vidhya

Bhavan is an excellent and authentic English translation of MahaBharatha.

Harsha wrote: