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Bhishma Vs Jatayu

Discussion in 'Interesting Shares' started by jayasala42, Nov 7, 2019.

  1. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    No two people react to the same situation in a similar way.
    Here are examples of two legendary personalities who were faced with a very similar situation, but thier responses were diagonally apart.
    One has been elevated but the other only recognised.
    It's in between *Bhisma 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*
    Bhisma was a powerful and capable 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;
    Where, Jatayu was old and invalid and knew that in all probability, Ravana would kill him. Still, he chose to try his best to protect Sita - the Queen.
    Bhisma was powerful yet acted powerless, where Jatayu was powerless yet acted powerful. _
    *"Real power is not about physical strength but about the deep desire to help."_*
    *2) ALIVE or DEAD*
    Bhisma lived on but died everyday to his conscience;
    Where 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*
    Bhisma'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. _
    *"Many of us are 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*
    Bhisma was supposed to be a highly cultured human but acted highly insensitive and stooped low in values like a vulture;

    Where, Jatayu was supposed to be a lowly uncultured vulture but acted highly sensitive and soared the skies in values like an evolved human. _
    *"One doesn't become a human, by being born as a human - only becomes a human 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;
    Where, 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.
    *"The language of heart is more powerful than the language of words."_*
    *6) CLARITY or CONFUSION*
    Bhisma was confused regarding his Royal duty that he forgot that he had a higher duty - a moral duty;
    Where, 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*
    Bhisma set a very bad precedent for generations to come;
    Where, 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 Bhisma was an elderly relative of Draupadi but acted as a total stranger in this episode;
    Where, 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, Bhisma 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.
    Bhisma's intelligence was clouded and it failed the test of life because he associated with the wicked minded, selfish Kauravas;
    Where, 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;
    Where, 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, Bhisma displeased God; where Jatayu pleased Him.
    This recount is not meant to criticize Bhisma - he is undoubtedly a great personality, but we do vehemently criticize his inaction.
    *Moral:*
    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 Bhisma way" or "the Jatayu way".
    Whichever way we choose remember there will also be a result - "the Bhisma result" or "the Jatayu result"._

    jayasala42
     
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  2. joylokhi

    joylokhi Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear jayasala madam
    Yes there is a proper moral for all to follow as brought out above. However, throughout Mahabharatha, Bhisma is revered for all great qualities, which are too many to be listed here. We have always admired and respected him and somehow when compared in the above manner, he is shown in a pretty bad light.
    However, I came across a write up in a Quora forum some time ago , how Bhisma himself has given his reasons as to why he could not react at the time, and the reasons for all in this. I reproduce below the same:
    QUOTE Bhishma himself gives the reason in Mahabharatha.

    In the end, after the war was over. Yudhisthira goes to Bhishm pitamah and seeks advice on the matters of life, spirituality and statecraft. While speaking about these subjects. Bhishma says the following

    “One should not stay when injustice is happening. One should try and stop it, if they cannot stop they should at least leave that place and go”

    On listening these words, Draupadi laughs and this makes Yudhishitira’s face go red.

    Here Bhishm Pitamah says the following to Yudhishtir.

    “I know why Draupadi is laughing, she is laughing because I who am speaking these good words now, was silent when she had the ghor apmaaan in Duryodhana’s court. Draupadi , I was silent then because my blood was polluted, I was eating the food of Duryodhana and that food polluted me and my thought process. Your Husband Arjuna has hit me with so many arrows that I cannot even bend my thumb. All the polluted blood is out of my body and my mind is working well. Hence I am able to speak all this. ”

    This story is routinely taught in many households to signify the importance of eating food from good people. When I say good people, it is not with respect caste, creed or ethnicity, it is with respect to the behavior of the person .

    It is taught that a person who does not care for his parents, who earns with out putting in effort, who eats before his guests, a person who constantly thinks of stealing others property, a person who is not able to give up a feud and makes it a long standing enmity , who eats without offering food to God, who enjoys killing etc … are papatma’s and food from such houses is bound to make you loose your wisdom.

    Bhishma cites this and says that his mind was polluted as he lived on the food given by Duryodhana who wanted to take away others lands and properties.UNQUOTE
    Its left to us to take lessons from both.
     
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  3. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    Thank you Joylokhi for the nice response.You know while analysing mythological stories, it will be argued in any manner. Though Bhishma justifies his polluted blood as the reason for his inaction, injustice done is done and the great Pitamaha who is the embodiment of Wisdom is made to feel guilty.

    Actually that is the beauty of Indian epics. Not only Bhishma, even Lord Krishna is picturised in poor light through the mouth of Duryothana , who is killed by Bhima at the instructions from krishna against Yuddha Dharma.

    Series of accusations are cast against the plans of krishna.
    Mahabharatha is an epic which revolves round human beings and it elaborates both on the strengths and weakness of human beings -that includes God also.

    Actually we have to appreciate Veda vyasa who is very impartial in depicting the good and bad traits of one and all for every reader to read and appreciate.He never takes sides and questions the wrong doer either through Draupathi or Duryodhana.

    This is not to form a good opinion about Jatayu and bad opinion about Bhishma-it is just a compilation of facts from the epic,that is all.If you take every Purana, this will be evident. Devi Purana talks the glory of Goddess and all brahma, vishnu and shiva are shown to have been created by Goddess. In Skandha Puranam, Muruga will be the supreme degrading all other gods.
    We have to read, enjoy, analyse and learn whatever lessons we can without forming opinions.That is what I feel.

    jayasala42
     
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  4. joylokhi

    joylokhi Platinum IL'ite

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    You are right . Each of the puranas read individually cater to, and glorify the specific Diety. This is not to say others are any less. Even in Hanuman chalisa we have ' AUR DEVATHA CHITH NE DHARIYE, HANUMAN SE HI SAB SUKH KARIYE'. There is surely wealth of information ,advice and knowledge to be gained in all.
     
  5. mangaii

    mangaii Finest Post Winner

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    This comparison is done in poor taste. There are so many great things about Bhishma and all that could be done was take two characters from two epics and compare them .
     

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