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 Bhishma’s skills and experience as a key asset in the battle. Duryodhana’s words also indicate his confidence in Bhishma’s strength and his belief that Bhishma alone can withstand and counter the attacks from the Pandava army. He emphasizes unity among his soldiers, instructing them to work together and defend Bhishma as a collective force.
Sanjaya, the power of introspection and self-analysis, conveyed to Dhritarashtra, the blind mind, that Duryodhana, his royal son, first-born and the epitome of material desire, approached Dronacharya. This interaction carries deep symbolism, revealing hidden meanings within the narrative.
Dronacharya, the revered teacher of both the Kauravas and the Pandavas, represents ingrained habit-tendencies or conditioning within the mind. Drona implies melted or liquefied state, emphasizing how consistent actions, when repeated, can solidify into 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.
Bhishma, as the Grandsire, represents the first expression of individuality as the Ego, the sense of self-identity. In this context, Bhishma’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 Bhishma.
Why did Duryodhana, the embodiment of material desire, call upon Dronacharya, symbolizing ingrained habits, and all the commanders to protect Bhishma, 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.
Consider the example of a man named Joe, whose journey provides a tangible illustration of the intricate dynamics outlined in the symbolic narrative. Joe begins to exhibit a habit of anger, a material desire for control, and an unapologetic demeanor—all intertwined with the complexities of his ego.
Joe’s habit of anger manifests gradually over time. In moments of frustration or stress, he consistently resorts to expressing his emotions through bursts of anger. These instances of uncontrolled rage become ingrained in his behavior, forming a habit that shapes his interactions with others. The repetitiveness of this angry response solidifies the pattern within his subconscious mind, creating a negative habit.
Simultaneously, Joe harbors a material desire for control over people and situations. His ego drives this desire, seeking dominance and authority as a means to validate his self-worth. The ego, in its distorted sense of identity, finds satisfaction in exerting control over others, believing it enhances Joe’s status and significance in the external world.
Now, when Joe’s anger or desire for control causes harm or distress to those around him, his ego shields him from remorse. The ego, acting as a protective mechanism, prevents Joe from acknowledging and rectifying his harmful actions. Instead of feeling sorry or reflecting on the consequences of his behavior, his ego rationalizes and justifies his actions, reinforcing the cycle of anger and desire.
In this illustrative example, Joe’s ego, tethered to the desire for control, acts as the catalyst for the formation of the negative habit – his anger. However, a transformative possibility emerges. If Joe could engage in daily introspection, invoking the power of self-analysis, Sanjaya, within the confines of his blind mind, Dhritarashtra, he might discern a profound truth. The realization could dawn that without the protective shield of his sensory vices and attachments, which act as soldiers safeguarding his misguided ego, his harmful habit of anger would gradually wither away. Consequently, his material desire to exert control over others would lose its firm grip on the kingdom of his consciousness.
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.