Bhagavad Vahini - Chapter 25

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Bhagavada Vahini by Sathya Sai Baba

 

Chapter 25

Guardian on the Battlefield

 

When the Lord commanded Arjuna to examine, from the chariot which He

kept stationary between the two armies ranged for battle, the enemy

leaders whom he had to encounter, Arjuna allowed his eyes to spot out

in a flash the heroes eager to meet him in contest; tears flowed

immediately from his eyes! He crumbled with despondency and

disinclination. It was a scene that filled spectators with shame.

 

But, note that your grandfather was not afflicted or affected with

fear or cowardice. He saw before him Bhishma, the reverend

grandparent who had loved to keep him on his lap and who caressed him

as his own child; he saw his respected teacher, Drona, from whom he

had learnt archery from A to Z; so, his heart lamented, " Alas! Has

this too to be endured by me, this bloody warfare with these great

elders, persons whom I ought really to worship with tender lovely

flowers? How can I shoot arrows at them? Have I to wound the very

feet which I must really place reverentially on my head, when I

dutifully prostrate before them? " The sentiment that overpowered him

was really this emotion of 'adoration'. It was this that rendered him

despondent, and not any other weakening emotion.

 

The feelings ' I ' and ' Mine ' grew so intense in him that he turned

to Krishna and said, " Krishna, set the chariot back towards

Hasthinapura, I wish to go away from all this " ; Krishna laughed in

derision, and commented with scarcely concealed scorn, " My dear

brother-in-law, evidently you seem to be scared of fighting; well, I

shall take you back to Hasthinapura, and bring instead, your consort,

Droupadi; she has no fear. Come, we shall return. I did not realise

you are such a coward; or else, I would not have accepted this

position as charioteer for you. It is a gross error of judgment on my

part. "

 

While Krishna was saying thus, and many other harsh statements

besides, Arjuna retorted: " Do you think that I, who fought with God

Siva and won the Pasupatha weapon from Him will quail before these

common mortals? It is a sense of reverence and mercy that makes me

desist from killing these kinsmen. It is not fear that holds me

back. " Arjuna spoke for long, arguing on the lines of ' I ' and '

Mine ', but, Krishna did not appreciate his arguments. He explained

to him the basic principles of all activity and morality and made him

take up the arms he had laid down; He induced him to follow the

dictates of the moral and social obligations of the Kshatriya caste

to which he belonged.

 

When in the midst of battle, the Kaurava warriors all in one gang

rained arrows simultaneously on Arjuna, Krishna saved him from the

shower, as He had done earlier when He lifted the Govardhan Hill to

save the villagers of Gokula and the cattle from the floods of hail

rained on them by the angry God Indra. He drew all weapons on Himself

and rescued Arjuna, seated behind him in the chariot, from the deadly

onslaugh. Blood flowed from the wounds on His body, but,

nevertheless, He held it against the shower of fiery arrows let loose

by the enemy. His aim was that Arjuna must be preserved from harm. He

intended also to reduce the might and pride of the wicked opponent,

and heighten the glory and reputation of Arjuna.

 

He held no weapon Himself; but, He brought about the annihilation of

the enemies and proclaimed before the World the magnificence of the

path of Dharma, which the Pandava brothers adhered to. Often during

the battle, your grandfather was pained at the role that Krishna had

taken on Himself. " Alas, that we are using You for this insignificant

purpose; You whom we ought to instal in the Lotus of the Heart, we

are seating You on the charioteer's plank! We have reduced You to the

status of a servant! We have devalued the Lord so meanly; alas, that

we are reduced to such straits! " he used to lament within himself.

 

More distressing than all was another painful act that Arjuna had

perforce to do, off and on. Whenever he had to do that act, poor

Arjuna was overcome with unbearable remorse. Saying this, Vyasa held

his head down, as if he wished to desist from mentioning it. This

aroused the curiosity of Parikshith even more and he

appealed, " Master! What exactly was that inevitable harm, he had to

do, in spite of its sacrilege? "

 

At this, he said, " 0 King, In the thick of battle, when the master

has to give an indication to the man who acts as the charioteer which

way to turn, he cannot hope to be heard, if he calls out, right or

left. The din will be too loud and confusing. So, while totally

immersed in the wild excitement of coming to grips with the enemy, he

has to prod the charioteer's brows with the right or left toe of his

feet; he keeps the toes always in touch with the sides of the brow,

for this purpose. His plank is on a deeper level. If the chariot is

to be driven straight, both toes have to be pressed with equal force.

That was the convention. Since such pressure had to be applied with

heavily shod feet both sides of the brow of the Lord daily showed

marks of scrape. Arjuna cursed himself for sheer shame; he hated the

very idea of war and prayed that the wicked game ceased that very

moment. He used to be terribly upset with agony, that he had to touch

with his feet the Head that sages and saints adored.

 

The palms of Krishna, soft and tender like lotus petals, developed

boils all over, since they had to hold the reins tight and since the

steeds strained their hardest, when they were restrained or

controlled. The Lord forsook food and sleep, performed services both

high and low, and kept ready both horses and chariot in perfect trim.

He also went on various other sundry errands, which were fundamental

to victory. He bathed the horses in the river, attended to their

wounds and applied balm to cure them, (why go on with the entire

list?). He acted as a menial in the house-hold of your grandfathers!

He never assumed the role of the Universal Sovereign that is His real

nature and status. That was the measure of His affection for those

devoted to Him, " said Vyasa, the Sage, to the King.