अयनेषु च सर्वेषु यथाभागमवस्थिता: | भीष्ममेवाभिरक्षन्तु भवन्त: सर्व एव हि || 11 || |
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“Hence, I urge all the commanders to wholeheartedly stand by Grandsire Bheeshma’s side, while simultaneously safeguarding your designated positions.”
Commentary
Duryodhana is addressing the generals and commanders, urging them to lend their unwavering support to Grandsire Bheeshma. He emphasizes the need for the generals to rally around Bheeshma and defend their respective strategic points with determination and dedication. By calling upon their loyalty and urging them to fulfill their responsibilities, Duryodhana aims to ensure a strong and unified front for the Kaurava army in the upcoming battle.
The verse reflects Duryodhana’s strategy and focus on utilizing Bheeshma’s skills and experience as a key asset in the battle. Duryodhana’s words also indicate his confidence in Bheeshma’s strength and his belief that Bheeshma alone can withstand and counter the attacks from the Pāndava army. He emphasizes unity among his soldiers, instructing them to work together and defend Bheeshma as a collective force.
Sanjaya, the power of introspection and self-analysis, conveyed to Dhritarāshtra, the blind mind, that Duryodhana, his royal son, first-born and the epitome of material desire, approached Dronāchārya. This interaction carries deep symbolism, revealing hidden meanings within the narrative.
Dronāchārya, the revered teacher of both the Kauravas and the Pāndavas, represents ingrained habit-tendencies or conditioning within the mind. Drona implies melted state, emphasizing how consistent actions, when repeated, can create deeply rooted habits in the subconscious. In this context, Drona becomes a metaphor for negative habit that takes hold in the human consciousness, influencing actions and decisions, often leading to repetitive cycles and unconscious behaviors. Once formed, the negative habit becomes resistant to change unless conscious efforts are made.
Bheeshma, as the Grandsire, represents the first expression of individuality as the Ego, the sense of self-identity. In this context, Bheeshma’s alignment with the Kauravas symbolizes an ego driven by attachment, self-interest, and a misplaced sense of righteousness. Understanding that the ego cannot be defeated unless it desires its own demise, Duryodhana instructs his commanders to safeguard Bheeshma.
Why did Duryodhana, the embodiment of material desire, call upon Dronāchārya, symbolizing ingrained habits, and all the commanders to protect Bheeshma, representing ego? The answer lies in the intricate dynamics of the human consciousness. Without the ego’s attachment to the body, harmful habit withers away, and material desire loses its grip on the kingdom of man’s consciousness.
The attachment of the ego to the physical body is a crucial precursor for the emergence of material desire within the human psyche. The ego, as the sense of individual identity, forges a connection with the body and the external world. Through this attachment, desires for material possessions, achievements, pleasures, and experiences arise.
Material desire, in turn, thrives on the ego’s misdirected identification with the physical realm. It becomes the impetus behind the pursuit of worldly goals and the accumulation of material possessions. The repetitive actions driven by material desire gradually solidifies into ingrained habit, shaping the individual’s behavior and influencing the course of life.
The ego’s reluctance to acknowledge wrongdoing entrenches these patterns, creating a self-perpetuating cycle. This intricate interplay between habit, desire, and ego highlights the challenges individuals face in breaking free from harmful behavioral patterns and fostering positive transformation within their consciousness.