There is a forward doing the rounds in whatsapp, claiming that Gandhari wife of Dhritarashtra, cursed her brother Sakuni for misleading her son Duryodhana leading to the annihilation of all her sons of Kuru dynasty.She is supposed to have cursed thus,
Gandhari, Dhritarashtra’s wife
A curse was given by Gandhari, princess of Kandhar (Afghanistan) to her brother, Shakuni (the then ruler of Afghanistan) that because of your crooked and cunning ways, I lost my 100 children. She cursed him that never ever in your kingdom will there be peace, prosperity and progress. Well ….. How true Hindu scriptures are!
Afghanistan in Vedic period was known as ‘Avgan Sthan’ (a defective place). Whatsapp forward
Gandhari was the elder sister of Sakuni and he had a lot of respect for her and love for her and her sons, especially Duryodhana.He was an instrument in the scheme of Things Karma has set.Along with Sri Krishna , he was responsible for destroying evil and promotion of Good He,as decided by Fate,the antagonist to Sri Krishna,who was the protagonist for upholding Dharma and protection of the Righteous.Without Sakuni and Dice game, again set by Fate, Righteous would not have been saved, nor the evil destroyed and Bhoobara,Burden of Earth would not have been reduced. The name Sakuni means ‘ one who can read Sakuna,Omens, especially that foretell of destruction.
Krishna pays a left handed compliment to Sakuni when Krishna went to Duryodhana’s court, before Mahabharata war, to avert it.Krishna even calls Sakuni as Maama,Uncle, saying that they are partners in the scheme of things. Only that Sakuni did not realise that.
So the forward that Gandhari cursed her brother , Sakuni is incorrect, had no basis. It is supported by Vyasa Bharatha( Mahabharata)
Gandhari cursed Sri Krishna roundly. Shall write in detail.
Where Bhishma was pierced by the Arrows of Arjuna and had been lying down awaiting Uttarayana,
Kurukshetra,
Which was addressed by Dhritharashtra with the adjective, Dharmakshetre, Land of Righteousness.
It is in Haryana, meaning, Vishnu Came heer, Hari ka Aana.
The legend.
Jothisar, where the Bhagavad Gita was born.
”
The founder of the land was King Kuru who practiced austere penance to make this land righteous – that is why in the first verse of the Bhagavad-gita, Kurukshetra is prefixed with Dharmakshetra (place of pilgrimage). This region comprises a large number of temples and tanks of antiquity.
King Kuru selected this land on the bank of sacred river Saraswati for spiritual culture and cultivation of eight-fold virtues. He arrived here on his golden chariot and utilized its gold for making a plough. He took the bull of Shiva and buffalo of Yama on loan and started ploughing the land. Indra, the king of heaven, came and asked Kuru as to what he was doing? He replied that he was preparing the land for growing eight-fold virtues of religious austerity (tapa), truth, forgiveness, kindness, purity, charity, yoga and continence (brahmacharya). Indra asked him as to where he would get the seed of these virtues. The King replied that the seed was in his possession. At this Indra laughed and went away.
After the king had cultivated the land for several days, Lord Vishnu appeared before him and asked as to what he was doing? He gave the same reply as given to Indra. Vishnu asked Kuru to give Him the seed and that He would sow it for him. At this Kuru put forward his right arm and the same was cut into 1000 pieces with the Chakra of Vishnu and sown in the field. In the same way king Kuru’s left arm, his two legs and then his head were offered by him to Vishnu for sowing.
Indra appeared at this stage and told him to ask for any boon. Kuru asked for two boons: one, that this land would forever remain a holy land named after himself, and the other, that anyone dying here would be relieved of the cycle of birth and death irrespective of his sins or virtues.
Sripad Madhvacharya, a great Vaishnava acharya, from South India came here around 1250 AD. During his visit he dug-up a certain piece of land in Kurukshetra and found the mace used by Bhima in the battle of Kurukshetra. Later after showing this to his disciples he replaced it in the same spot.
Jyotishvar:
This is the exact spot where Lord Sri Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita; there is a banyan tree here under which Krishna explained Bhagavad-gita 5000 years back to Arjuna. There is a sign board placed on the tree which reads: The immortal banyan tree witness of the celestial song Bhagavad-gita. In fact this place is named as the Gitopadesh sthal – place where the Bhagavad-gita was spoken.
A parikrama of the tree is considered very auspicious. There is also a small chariot in a glass and marble case below the banyan tree where one can see Krishna and Arjuna speaking to each other. In the same courtyard of the Gitopadesh sthal is a Ved Pathshala, rooms containing different characters of Mahabharata like Bhishmadeva, Krishna-Arjuna etc. There is also an ancient Shiva temple which is sheltered by the banyan tree. Jyotishvar is on Pehowa road, 5 km from Kurukshetra.
Bhishma Kunda:
In this place the great grandsire of Kuru dynasty, Bhishmadeva, was shot down by Arjuna in a volley of arrows with Shikhandi in front of him and Bhishma refusing to fight. Bhishmadeva was lying on a bed of arrows called Sharashayya, waiting for his death at the most auspicious time called Uttarayana. Following the advice of Lord Sri Krishna, all the Pandavas headed by Yudhisthira Maharaj arrived at the spot where he learned the science of Raja-dharma. Deities of Bhishmadeva, Pandavas and Lord Sri Krishna are nearby at the Bhishma Kunda temple.
Ban Ganga:
During discussions between Bhishmadeva and Yudhisthira Maharaj, Bhishmadeva asked for water, while lying on Sharashayya and Arjuna shot an arrow piercing the ground from which emanated the sacred Ganga water which flowed into Bhishma’s mouth. This body of water is called Ban Ganga which means the Ganga that emanated with the shot of a Bana (arrow). Next to the Ban Ganga is a very tall and huge figure of Hanuman.
This is a huge lake where people do pitr tarpana for the souls of their near and dear who are dead. Performingpitr tarpana on the day of Amavasya is considered to be very auspicious. A lot of people come to take bath there on that day.
Sanjaya! At the Dhrama Bhoomi(place of Righteousness) Kurukshetra, what did mine and the sons of Pandu do,with the intention fighting against each other ?”
Dharma.
The concept of Dharma in Indian Philosophy is very intricate and Complex.
Dharma is
‘Verily, that which is Dharma is truth.
Therefore they say of a man who speaks truth, “He speaks the Dharma,”
or of a man who speaks the Dharma, “He speaks the Truth.”
At the Cosmic level it is called Rta or the regulatory Order of the Universe which consists of Principles for the maintanence of the order of The Universe.
According to Taittriya Upanishad it is something that One must not stray from
Taken as a whole Dharma means it is that is in consonance with Universal laws, which can be understood only by the Wise.
This is what Krishna says when he says ‘even the learned do not understand the Karma or Dharma as it is very subtle and can be understood only by the Realized.
Then how do we follow it/
Lord Krishna says it is by following the set of Rules of the Vedas, unquestionably.
As you keep following them the Dharma will dawn on you and you will follow automatically.
I treat the Mahabharata and the Ramayana as History, not as mere Stories born out of the imaginations of Vyasa and Valmiki.
If people take as History that
Jesus lived and preached, The Old Testament based on a Book compiled by a Conclave of Cardinals assembled by King Constantine afer
three hundred years of the death of Christ,
Ocean parted,
Mohammed ascended to Heaven,guided by an Angel, directed by God to look at the Rules embedded in a rock(as though God can not remember),
I believe the Mahabharata and the Ramayana to be true as
The city of Hastinapur , and Dwaraka are found,
Kurukshetra and other descriptions of the places mentioned are correct on date, especially Kurukshetra is found to be slightly tilted as explained in the Puranas,
The birth date of Rama and his ascension to throne are verified and proved.
As also his travel routes-refer my posts on these and Dwaraka .
Now I had a nagging doubt whether Sanjaya reported the Mahabharata war Live to Dhritarashtra or recollected and reported.
Its first chapter beings with –‘Narayanam namaskrtya……’, a
benedictory verse, after which, it begins with a question asked by the king
Janamejaya to Vaishampayana, as to how the Kauravas, who gathered for the
battle in Kurukshetra, fought with the kings, who supported Pandavas. While
giving a reply, the arrangements to stay in the camp with all the facilities were
arranged by Vaishampayana. The way the Kauravas, Pandavas and Samakas
made the special rules for the battle is a special feature of this chapter, which
explores the principles of the battle field. The rules such as, no enmity should
be observed after the sunset, the existence of mutual love, battle of speech
should be done only with those who are indulged in it, killing a person, who is
out of the army is condemned. A foot-soldier, a horse-soldier and an elephantsoldier should fight with their equals only. One should make an enemy alert
and fight with him alone, who is equal to him in ability, zeal and strength. One
should not fight with the person who is not unprepared or with a scared person.
The war is condemned with a person, who is fighting with others, a refugee, a
person who is out of war and a person with tainted weapons. A charioteer, the
player of kettle drum, a conch-blower and the supplier of weapons should not
be attacked. The second chapter begins with the arrival of Vyasa Maharshi.
He informs the death time of Kauravas. He also conveys Dhrtarashtra that he
could provide him the ability to see the battle, for which, Dhrtarashtra
expresses his unwillingness, as he doesn’t want to see the death of his sons.
After knowing the interest of Dhrtarashtra to listen the details of the battle,
Sanjaya, the charioteer of Dhrtarashtra was provided with the divine vision by
Vyasa Maharshi. Many more scary incidents are also depicted.”
“Dhritarashtra said,–‘How hath Bhishma, that bull among the Kurus, been slain by Sikhandin? How did my father, who resembled Vasava himself, fall down from his car? What became of my sons, O Sanjaya, when they were deprived of the mighty Bhishma who was like unto a celestial, and who led life of Brahmacharyya for the sake of his father? 2 Upon the fall of that tiger among men who was endued with great wisdom, great capacity for exertion, great might and great energy, how did our warriors feel? Hearing that bull amongst the Kurus, that foremost of men, that unwavering hero is slain, great is the grief that pierceth my heart. While advancing (against the foe), who followed him and who proceeded ahead? Who stayed by his side? Who proceeded with him? What brave combatants followed behind (protecting his rear) that tiger among car-warriors, that wonderful archer, that bull among Kshatriyas, while he penetrated into the divisions of the foe? 1 While seizing the hostile ranks, what warriors opposed that slayer of foes resembling the luminary of thousand rays, who spreading terror among the foe destroyed their ranks like the Sun destroying darkness, and who achieved in battle amongst the ranks of Pandu’s sons feats exceedingly difficult of accomplishment? How, indeed, O Sanjaya, did the Pandavas oppose in battle the son of Santanu, that accomplished and invincible warrior when he approached them smiting? Slaughtering the (hostile) ranks, having arrows for his teeth, and full of energy, with the bow for his wide-open mouth, and with the terrible sword for his tongue, and invincible, a very tiger among men, endued with modesty…..
Section XV
‘Sanjaya said,–“Deserving as thou art, this question is, indeed, worthy of thee, O great king. It behoveth thee not, however, to impute this fault to Duryodhana. The man who incurreth evil as the consequence of his own misconduct, should not attribute that misconduct to others. O great king, the man that doth every kind of injury to other men, deserveth to be slain by all men in consequence of those censurable deeds of his. The Pandavas unacquainted with the ways of wickedness had, for a long time, with their friends and counsellors, looking up to thy face, borne the injuries (done to them) and forgiven them, dwelling in the woods.’
“Thereafter, in the 13thchapter, the Bhagavadgita parva begins, which is continued till 42nd
chapter. It begins with Sanjaya, who returns from the battle
field and conveys the news of Bhishma’s death to Dhrtharashtra. Listening to
which, Dhrtharashtra, while lamenting, expresses his intention to know about
the death of Bhishma in detail.’
This, to me, appears to indicate that the War was not reported Live but by a recollection.
The whole conversation is as said by Vaisampayana to Janamejaya.
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