The Mahabharata

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

You raise an interesting point about the "Ashwatthama Saga". That particular incident triggered a very deep meditation for me many years ago. Since Yudisthira was a man of Truth, he could not have been a very good "liar" and hence it perplexed me that Drona would not see through the subterfuge. It was only then that I recalled something that Drona had said earlier in the epic to the effect that, if a man of Truth ever told a falsehood, that would be the day that he would no longer want to live in this world. My sense is that Drona saw through the subterfuge and was not deceived by it but chose to lay down his life at that point since he no longer had a desire to live in the world.

My sense is that Krishna sensed how this would play out and similarly felt that an adept like Drona would not be deceived by Yudisthira's uncomfortable "lie" which must have been most unconvincing. In any case, Krishna's direction had the desired effect but, in my opinion, not for the superficial obvious interpretation that Drona really believed that his son was dead.

An added point of interest is the modern day story of Tapasviji Maharaj, the guru who mastered the Kaya Kalpa and reportedly lived to be 185 years old. In the biography about him, it is said that Tapaviji actually met Aswatthama, one of the immortals who was wandering through a forest region during Tapasviji's lifetime, and heard from his very lips the story of the Mahabharata and the Bhaghavad Gita. That book may be of interest to you and here is the link.

https://www.amazon.com/Maharaj-Biogr.../dp/091392217X

Thank you for that story and the link. I found it very interesting and informative.

I, too, had the very profound meditative experience about that, but mostly, what was a "man of truth" doing gambling the shirt off his back in the first place and playing God with other people's lives? He must not have had a very good "poker face".

...and of course, Bhima was Krishna's pawn during the whole Mahabharata. Bhima would do whatever Krishna said without question..."go kill that elephant"..."go and hit Duryodhana in the groin to fulfill Draupadi's curse"..."sure, my Lord...anything you say, my Lord"...Krishna was so sneaky that any respect I had for him sorta plummeted after reading the Mahabharata...but that is just me.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

Thank you for that story and the link. I found it very interesting and informative.

I, too, had the very profound meditative experience about that, but mostly, what was a "man of truth" doing gambling the shirt off his back in the first place and playing God with other people's lives? He must not have had a very good "poker face".

...and of course, Bhima was Krishna's pawn during the whole Mahabharata. Bhima would do whatever Krishna said without question..."go kill that elephant"..."go and hit Duryodhana in the groin to fulfill Draupadi's curse"..."sure, my Lord...anything you say, my Lord"...Krishna was so sneaky that any respect I had for him sorta plummeted after reading the Mahabharata...but that is just me.

Krishna does indeed come across as a very interesting character in the Mahabharata, as you duly noted. Nonetheless, his "sneaky" nature, as you put it, did enable him to overcome all the obstacles thrown in the path of righteousness such as Duryodhana's invulnerability except in the area of the groin as in the Bhima story you noted.