Arjuna simply nodded in negation. But he still did not pick up his Gandiva bow. He had got confused again. He was debilitated due to his attachment! Now it was imperative to awaken the fighting spirit in him with actual action and not by using any words. Krishnadeva resolutely said to him, “Fine then. For the sake of grandsire, I broke my vow to not hold any weapon in my hands. It seems that I will have to break it again for you too!”
Putting down the reins in his hand the Lord of Dwaraka held the whip in his hand and leaped down onto the land of Kurukshetra.
Now master archer Arjuna got really baffled. He also left his Gandiva bow in the chariot and jumped down. Spreading both his arms and blocking the way of great Aarya Krishnadeva who was running furiously towards the chariot of grandsire he pleaded, “Hrishikeshaa, wait! Please don’t break your vow. Tomorrow I will fight with grandsire determinedly!”
While hearing those words the sun set on the ninth day on the battleground of Kurukshetra.
Grandsire smilingly watched all the commotion that went on between Krishnadeva and Arjuna. He put down his bow in the Gangaugha chariot and bringing his palms together in prayer the warrior-sun among both armies prayed to the setting sun.
Krishnadeva wrapped up the nightly council quickly today after giving instructions for the tenth day to all regiment leaders. As all Pandavas were leaving the pavilion he said only to Arjuna, “Arjuna, wait. I want to talk to you about something!”
Obedient Arjuna waited. He was preparing himself for a severe admonition. So Krishnadeva got up from his seat, went close to him, put his right arm on his muscular shoulder and patting him, said, “Don’t worry. I am not going to ask you now, how come you were confused again. Just do one thing. You go to the royal ladies’ camp in person right away and tell Sakhi Draupadi to come and meet me!”
Saying ‘Yes Aarya’, Arjuna left. I was also about to leave, wondering ‘What could a woman do in war?’ He stopped me also and said, “Sakha Satyaki, you have to wait for some time. You have to fulfil a duty – as a Yadava commander!”
Within a moment many thoughts flashed through my mind – What could it be? Which formation is he going to tell Dhrishtadyumna to arrange for tomorrow? What will be my responsibility in that?
There, infuriated Duryodhana had stormed into Kuru commander Bhishma’s pavilion in a frenzy along with Shakuni and Dushasana. To ask him only one thing – why did he leave confused Arjuna alive, while he was standing in front of him?
Grandsire had finished his evening rituals and was meditating in the inner chamber of his pavilion. Duryodhana discourteously summoned grandsire outside through a servant. Speaking in his usual haughty, arrogant way he said, “Grandsire, is this a war or just an entertaining cock fight going on? It’s been nine days. Bhima and Arjuna have slaughtered more than half our army. More than fifty of my brothers have died on the battlefield. But not a single Pandava has got even a scratch of an arrow on their body? What is this? Have you forgotten your duty as a commander due to your love for the Pandavas? Or is this just a stroke of my bad luck? I have come here to request you that if you cannot give up your love for the Pandavas then resign from the commandership. Then we can summon world conqueror Karna, the king of Anga and appoint him as our commander. I am confident that he will bring victory to us for sure. What should I do? Please feel free to speak your mind openly.”
Hearing his words determined grandsire Bhishma who was renowned for his feats, was saddened. Still, controlling himself he advised Duryodhana with extreme patience as Krishnadeva had advised Arjuna, saying, “Duryodhanaa, you are making a mistake in knowing Krishna and Arjuna. You have forgotten that I myself addressed Krishna as ‘Vaasudeva’ very thoughtfully. As an experienced elder I am telling you, return the Indraprastha kingdom to the Pandavas! That will be beneficial for all.”
Duryodhana discarded grandsire’s wise advice like the ocean in high tide repels even the waters of Ganga. He said, “That time is well past. I have lost more than six akshauhini of my army in the war. Are you going to resign as the commander or are you going to wholeheartedly fight for the undoubted victory of the Kauravas?” That insolent son of Dhritarashtra straightaway accused the grandsire of being guilty.
This was rather too much to bear for the disciple of Parashurama who was veracious, master of the Brahmastra and celibate throughout his life. To make sure that Duryodhana left his pavilion as soon as possible, grandsire Bhishma said very calmly and determinedly, “Tomorrow I will annihilate all Pandavas! Or else I will offer my own body as a sacrifice in the Yajna of this war! You may go.”
After all it was ‘Bhishma’s vow’! It couldn’t remain a secret for long. Riding on the winds it reached the pavilion of Krishnadeva. I noticed that hearing that news he became restless like never before. There was only one question in front of him now. That was of protecting all the Pandavas including Arjuna. And if need be, of killing Grandsire Bhishma!
The midnight of the ninth day was approaching. Draupadidevi who had received the message through Arjuna arrived in the Nandighosha chariot driven by Daruka and descended in front of Krishnadeva’s pavilion. As soon as he saw her, Deva said in his usual loving tone, “Sakhi Draupadi, at this moment you have to carry out a big task to protect your husbands and the Pandava army! You have to leave immediately with our Satyaki to meet Kuru commander grandsire Bhishma. Take only one precaution while going there. Make sure that your face will be covered with your shawl while seeking grandsire’s blessings. Due to old age, he won’t be able to see your face clearly in the dim light of the torches. You have to take only one precaution, not to speak a single word before he says anything to you. Don’t forget to make a clear tingling sound of your golden bangles when you bend down to seek his blessings. Once he speaks you will automatically know what to say next!”
As per the command I left with Draupadidevi towards the pavilion of Kuru commander grandsire Bhishma. I was given strict instructions to wait outside the pavilion and tell grandsire’s guard only that ‘a lady wishes to meet grandsire’.
The chirping sounds of crickets echoed around the battleground of Kurukshetra. The hooting of owls could be heard in between. Far away the cries of jackals and wolves that were clawing at the organs of human bodies were audible. As decided, when we came closer to grandsire Bhishma’s pavilion I delivered the message to the guard of the Kuru commander and waited outside. Draupadidevi covered her face with her shawl and went inside. As the guard gave him the message, muscular, virtuous commander Bhishma came out from the inner chamber wondering ‘A lady? To meet me? On the battlefield? Who could she be?’ In the dim light of the torches Draupadidevi scurried and bowed down to seek the blessings of the disciple of Parashurama making clear tinkling sounds of her golden bangles three times.
Words of blessing slipped out of the sublime mouth of veracious, celibate grandsire, ‘May you be a Saubhagyavati - fortunate to enjoy married life forever. May you have a long life!’
Even I could hear his words standing outside. I pricked my ears with curiosity to hear what Draupadidevi was going to say now.
Draupadidevi said in her clear and strong words to grandsire, “Grandsire, today itself you have taken a vow to annihilate all Pandavas. And just now you have blessed me to be a Saubhagyavati forever. Forgive me if I sound disrespectful as I am younger to you in age. Which of these words of veracious grandsire are the true words?” The gallant warrior who looked like a snow-clad tall Deodar tree looked at his grand daughter-in-law Draupadidevi who had removed the shawl from her face and smiling pleasantly he said, “The blessing that I have given you is real. Convey only one message of mine to Krishna, that I am extremely happy that I have given him the perfect epithet of ‘Vaasudeva’. Draupadi, this is Bhishma’s promise – that you will remain a Saubhagyavati forever!!
“To keep your husbands safe, tell Krishna only one thing, take the Panchala son Shikhandi who has a woman’s soul in a man’s body, on the Nandighosha chariot tomorrow as Arjuna’s protection. The whole world
knows that Bhishma the disciple of Parashurama, the son of Shantanu and Ganga would never shoot an arrow at a woman.
“Go, Draupadi, the manliness of Shikhandi, whom you and your brothers ridiculed as effeminate and unmanly is going to be Arjuna’s protective shield tomorrow!” That great Kuru raised his hand and with a broad smile on his face blessed Draupadi, his grand-daughter-in-law, wife of Pandavas.
Draupadidevi who was speechless and overwhelmed with emotions on hearing that again touched the feet of the tall Kuru commander.
I returned to Krishnadeva’s pavilion with Draupadidevi. While coming back only one thought lingered in my mind – even if the Pandavas would have spent a whole night in a meeting along with all regiment leaders, would they have come up with such a simple solution to the problem of veracious, long-armed Bhishma who was like a storming ocean and had set his heart on performing incredible valiant feats?
At that hour of midnight, I had to go to Panchala son Shikhandi’s pavilion also, as per Krishnadeva’s command. I took him along with me and presented him to the Pandava-charioteer. Then for a long time the great Yadava discussed the details of tomorrow’s war and advised Shikhandi in his own Krishna style on how to handle things the next day.
The tenth day of war appeared on the eastern horizon of Kurukshetra. Today grandsire Bhishma let Krishnadeva blow his renowned Panchjanya conch making a divine sound, to his heart’s content. He filled his ears with its inspirational sound.
One after the other, the inspirational sound waves of the Panchjanya conch which soldiers of both the armies had never heard before kept rising. With that sound of the Panchjanya the battleground of Kurukshetra resonated in a unique way like never before during the last nine days. While blowing the Panchjanya conch Krishnadeva’s blue face reddened. Tears collected on the long thick lashes of his fish-shaped eyes due to the force of blowing the conch. I clearly saw him wipe those tears with the shawl on his chest. Such a thing had not happened with him before on the battleground of Kurukshetra.
After quite some time, in response to Panchjanya’s sound, Grandsire Bhishma blew his Ganganabha conch just barely audible to the Kuru soldiers. Today while giving him protection, selected Kuru warriors like Drona, Kripa, Duryodhana, Ashwatthama, Jayadratha and Bhagadutta charged at the Pandava army. At the front line of our army, Shikhandi standing with his bow could be seen today between Krishnadeva and master archer Dhananjaya. Along with my army I fell upon the left wing of grandsire’s army supported by Drona’s son Ashwatthama. Abhimanyu attacked Duryodhana. At the centre of the battlefield thrilling duels ensued between Virata and Jayadratha, Yudhishthira and Shalya, and Dhrishtadyumna and Shakuni. Roaring loudly and wildly Bhimsena fell upon the elephantry of the Kurus.
Today in the Nandighosha chariot Arjuna, Shikhandi and Krishnadeva began making inconceivable and swift movements. An incredibly intense and catastrophic battle ensued between grandsire Bhishma and Arjuna. The blazing sun on Kurukshetra was overcast by the showers of arrows shot by both of them like the rain showers of Mriga. Seeing a line of arrows shot by grandsire targeting Arjuna, iron-armoured Shikhandi would quickly cover Arjuna by putting himself in between. Seeing him in the line of target grandsire would lower his bow and stop shooting arrows. Shikhandi grabbed that opportunity unerringly and killed grandsire’s charioteer first with six Naracha arrows. With the next set of arrows, he broke grandsire’s Taladhwaja pennant and with the third set of arrows eunuch Shikhandi destroyed the macho grandsire Bhishma’s bow completely. That mighty old man quickly picked up another bow. He put arrows like Suchi, Jidma and Chandramukha which required different skills and pressures to shoot, on his bowstring at the same time. Realizing that in spite of Shikhandi being his cover Arjuna had no hopes now Krishnadeva signalled his four obedient horses to lift the entire front portion of Nandighosha chariot in the air. As the chariot was lifted from the front, Arjuna and Shikhandi disappeared from grandsire’s view. Smiling to himself grandsire took his bow down instead of shooting the arrows at Arjuna. Krishnadeva had demonstrated an unimaginable feat with the help of his trained horses. He was not just an ingenious orator, but also an expert charioteer who indeed could make all his white horses dance to his tune with the slightest pressure of the reins in his hands.
Today, the thrilling war between Bhishma and Arjuna was so breath-taking that even Maharathis like Jayadratha, Shalya and Bhagadutta stopped their fights and watched it all agape.
The evening was approaching. Now grandsire Bhishma started looking like a fully blossomed red Palash tree on the inclines of Mount Aravali in summer. In the Nandighosha chariot the charioteer and Shikhandi were perfectly safe. Only a few fleeting arrows had pierced Arjuna’s blue body. When Shikhandi got an opportunity, he pulled them out and threw them on the ground. He quickly put medicinal herbs on the wounds. Draupadi’s husband was safe and secure indeed.
When the sun touched the western horizon Arjuna shot two sets of ten different arrows like Sarpamukha, Suchi, Kankapatra, Bastika, Naracha and Shilimukha, showering them on Grandsire Bhishma. Some of those arrows broke through the iron armour and pierced his chest. Grandsire Bhishma whose bow was destroyed, charioteer was killed, who had many arrows pierced in his valiant body, who looked like a blood-soaked radiant sun disc on the western horizon, collapsed from his chariot onto the battleground! It was a meadow of ‘Shara’ grass where he collapsed. Seeing him fall down in front of the setting sun the news spread in the Kuru army – commander Grandsire Bhishma has fallen on the Shara meadows.
As the very first commander of the Kurus fell on the ground there was havoc in the Kuru army. Soldiers of both armies dropped their weapons to the ground and got around in long lines to take a last look at the aged, gallant commander. I also followed Krishnadeva along with all the Pandavas to see grandsire. He was calmly lying on the bed of the Shara grass. As soon as he saw Krishnadeva he said in a feeble voice, “Come here Vaasudevaa!” Krishnadeva who had brought me and the five Pandavas along with him sat in the Virasana pose next to him on the Shara grass. The son of Ganga affectionately held the right arm of the Lord of Dwaraka sitting in the Virasana pose and said to the son of Yamuna, “Vaasudevaa, whatever you wish will happen! Don’t worry. I won’t leave my body right now. Just like you are, I am also the devotee of the Sun. I will leave my body only when the sun starts moving towards the summer solstice from the winter solstice!”
Krishnadeva lovingly pressed grandsire’s hand in his hand and said, “It will be fifty-six days more till the sun’s position moves towards summer solstice. Oh, long-armed son of Ganga, I know why you are waiting for the sun to start moving towards the summer solstice, but it is essential that all these warriors who are here to see you, should also know about it. Therefore, you should explain it to all.”
Grandsire who had become feeble due to continuous bleeding smiled slightly and said, “Oh son of Yamuna, you only explain why this son of Ganga is waiting for that moment. Bestow your grace on me Vaasudevaa to hear your melodious speech at this moment!” That gallant warrior had borne many arrows from Arjuna during the day, but this arrow of Krishnadeva he reverted back towards him!
All the assembled warriors got to hear every word of Bhishma on the deathbed from Vaasudeva’s mouth.
Krishnadeva said, “Every human body has two poles – the south and the north. The south pole is in the lower part of the body below the waist where the apparently unsanctified but essential job of excreting faeces and urine is carried out. In the north pole of the body is the brain controlling the seventy-two thousand Nadis in the body – the holy abode of the intellect.
“In this north pole of the body the Brahmarandhra is located which has been considered holy by sages, which has also been experienced by them.
“Grandsire wants to draw the vital energy in his lower body from his toes to the crown of his head and unite it with the Sun’s energy. And he wants to do it only after the Sun starts its journey towards summer solstice! Am I correct, oh disciple of Parashurama?”
&nbs
p; “Sudarshanaa, how can you be wrong? Do one thing now. Make arrangements for my meeting with Karna, the king of Anga who has been sitting inactive in his pavilion for the last ten days because I called him an ardharathi. I have to tell him something in private.”
“As you wish grandsire!” Krishnadeva gently let go of his hand and got up. He put his head on grandsire’s feet for a few moments. He began walking towards his pavilion along with all of us. While leaving, he instructed Dhrishtadyumna, “Commander, arrange for armed guards for the protection of grandsire until he doesn’t leave his body. Take enough precaution so that wounded grandsire will not be bothered by wild beasts.”
‘Your wish is my command, oh Lord of Dwaraka’ said Dhrishtadyumna and stayed behind to make the necessary arrangements.
As decided, I had to convey grandsire’s message to Karna, the king of Anga.
Munificent Karna met grandsire sometime in the night and went back to his pavilion. Neither I nor anybody else ever came to know what both of them conversed about. That was because grandsire had told the armed guards to go away and met Karna in complete privacy.
Now maharathi, world conqueror Karna, the master of Brahmastra was going to participate in the war! He was indeed capable of recovering the loss of military strength in the Kuru army due to grandsire’s fall.
Srikrishna- the Lord of the Universe Page 88