Pranam
Brilliant Analysis.
Though it draws upon the two epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, this stuff is
relevant to everyone
irrespective of their religious persuasions and even to agnostics like me.
One of the best, rather, perhaps the best read, of late. Don't miss to
read. Every perception is indeed wonderfully conceived. I reiterate, don't
skip reading it.
THE BHISHMA WAY or THE JATAYU WAY - Brilliant analysis!!
No two people respond to the same situation in a similar way.
Here are examples of two legendary personalities who were faced with a very
similar situation, but their responses were diagonally apart.
This is a comparitive study between Bhishma and Jatayu.
Both, of them were confronted with character defining asssault on
womanhood.
One chose to die protecting the victim while the other chose to be a mute
spectator of the crime.
1) POWERFUL or POWERLESS
Bhishma was a powerful warrior and if he wanted, he could have stopped the
disrobing of Draupadi - the Queen but he chose to be a silent witness of
this act
whereas Jatayu was old and invalid and knew that in all probability,
Ravana would kill him but still, he chose to try his best to protect Sita -
the Queen.
Bhishma was powerful yet acted powerless whereas Jatayu was powerless yet
acted powerful*.
"Real power is not about physical strength but about the deep desire to
help."
2) ALIVE or DEAD
Bhishma lived on but died everyday to his conscience whereas Jatayu died
once but lived eternally true to his conscience.
"Our only constant companion is our concience - better to be true to it."
3) FAME or INFAMY
Bhishma's name and fame went down in history because of this one act of not
stopping the disrobing of Draupadi but Jatayu's name and fame went high in
history because of his act of trying to save Sita.
" We are all going to be mere names in history, sooner or later. Will we be
equated with the bad or the good - is our choice."
4) CULTURE or VULTURE
Bhishma was supposed to be a highly cultured human but acted highly
insensitive and stooped low in values like a vulture, whereas
Jatayu was supposed to be a lowly uncultured vulture but acted highly
sensitive and soared the skies in values like an evolved human. Who would
you call as a human - Bhisma or Jatayu?
"One doesn't become a human being by being born as a human - one becomes a
human being by being a human."
5) SPOKEN or UNSPOKEN WORDS
Draupadi begged and pleaded protection from Bhisma because she knew if
someone could protect her it was only him but still Bhisma didn't protect
her, whereas
Sita didn't even ask Jatayu for protection - she just wanted him to inform
Rama about her kidnapping by Ravana because she knew Jatayu was not
powerful but still Jatayu tried to protect Sita.
Bhishma being a human couldn't even understand the spoken words of
Draupadi what to speak of understanding her unspoken words whereas Jatayu
even though was a mere bird, understood not only the spoken words of Sita
but also her unspoken words.
"The language of heart is more powerful than the language of words."
6) CLARITY or CONFUSION
Bhishma was confused regarding his Royal duty that he forgot that he had a
higher duty - a moral duty
whereas, Jatayu was so clear about his moral duty that no other duty was a
consideration for him.
"When caught up in dilemmas, best is to follow the higher principles - to
follow our heart because it always knows the truth."
7) GOOD or BAD EXAMPLE
Bhishma set a very bad precedent for generations to come
whereas, Jatayu set the most ideal precedent for generations to come.
"If we can't be a great example atleast let us not be a bad one."
8) RELATIVE or STRANGER
Another interesting point is that Bhishma was an elderly relative of
Draupadi but acted as a total stranger in this episode, whereas
Jatayu was not at all related to Sita, he was a stranger but acted more
than a dearest relative.
"True relationships is based on heartly connections not just bodily
connections."_
9) THE SAINTLY or THE WICKED
Both Bhishma and Jatayu had a few moments to decide what to do. Life
sometimes puts in situations
where in a few moments we need to take crucial decisions.
What we decide very much depends on the kind of inner integrity we have
cultivated by the association we keep.
Bhishma's intelligence was clouded and it failed the test of life because
he associated with the wicked minded, selfish Kauravas whereas Jatayu's
intelligence was crystal clear and it passed the test of life because he
associated with the saintly, selfless Lakshman and the All-pure Lord Rama.
"After all, who we are solely depends on whom we associate with."
10) EMBRACE or NEGLECT
The Supreme Lord as Sri Krishna was not at all happy with this attitude of
Bhisma so much so that when He came as a peace messenger to Hastinapur, He
didn't even bother to look at Bhisma, what to speak of respecting him,
whereas
The Supreme Lord as Ramachandra was so happy with the attitude of Jatayu
that he embraced him and personally did his final rites - a honour that
even Dasharath - His father didn't receive.
"The scriptures explain that the ultimate test of any activity is, if the
Supreme Lord is pleased with us."
It is very clear, Bhishma displeased God whereas Jatayu pleased Him.
This recount is not meant to criticize Bhishma - he is undoubtedly a great
warrior and an amazing personality who sacrificed his personal desires for
Hastinapur,
but we do vehemently criticize his inaction. The end here is to learn from
the choices made so that we are conscious history follows us.
When we see some injustice, some problem, we have only two options - either
close your eyes to it or do something about it - follow "the Bhishma way"
or "the Jatayu way"
and whichever way we choose - remember there will be consequences of our
choices
"the Bhisma result" or "the Jatayu result".
Brilliant analysis!!
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