Thread by @DefiledGod

Continuation of how the Pāndavās conducted themselves post their humiliation in Kaurava Sabha.

Let us look at Bhīma, having seen that Yudhiṣṭhira represents karma yoga in previous posts here:

https://twitter.com/DefiledGod/status/1300715228636745729?s=19

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Sabha Parva describes his actions (link: sacred-texts.com/hin/m02/m02079…) - “I have no equal in strength of arms,” thinking so Bhīma goes stretching forth his mighty arms, proud of the strength of his arms, exhibiting them & desiring to perform deeds worthy of those arms to his enemies"+

Karna reveals Bhīma's nature in Udyoga Parva:

udgātātra punar bhīmaḥ prastotā sumahābalaḥ vinadan sa naravyāghro nāgānīkāntakṛd raṇe

[Bhīma of great strength, tiger among men destroys elephants, roars in battle, is Udgātā & Prastotā, singers of Vedic hymns.]+

#Hinduism

True Meaning: [Meditation on Brahman, formidable to saṃsāra (Bhīma), pre-eminently strong among “imperishables” that are means to liberation (naravyāghra)...]+

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[...that destroys sins (elephants), that frightens saṃsāra, is that which rises above desire (udgātā) & form of praise or experience of bhagavad-kalyāṇa-guṇās (Prastotā).]+

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Karmas obstructing liberation are like mad elephants, difficult to conquer. “raṇa” is the self doing battle with samsārā. “tiger” is anything that is pre-eminent. Various means are denoted by “nara” as they are imperishable, of which meditation on Brahman is best+

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“udgātā” - rising above lust. “prastotā” - of the form of praise, ie, svarūpa of bhakti yoga. Bhīma is “Vṛkodara”– wolf-bellied or voracious eater. Meditation has insatiable appetite for inexhaustible bhagavad-kalyāṇa-guṇās. Or, it “eats” - destroys all karmas.+

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Karna, in same section, highlights this quality of Bhīma:

duryodhanaṃ yadā hantā bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ tadā samāpsyate yajño dhārtarāṣṭrasya mādhava

[When mighty Bhīmasena kills Duryodhana, then will sacrifice of Dhrtarashtra’s son be concluded, Mādhava!]+

#Hinduism

True Meaning: [Lord seen by Mouna, Dhyāna & Yoga (Mādhava)! When meditation on Brahman (Bhīmasena), powerful to destroy all sins (mahābalaḥ), kills or destroys the body (Duryodhana), then this bhakti yoga of jīva with karmas supporting body or saṃsāra is concluded+

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Based on this, let us look at the Sabha Parva text:

bāhvorbale nāsti samo mameti bharatarṣabha bāhū viśālau kṛtvā'sau tena bhīmopi gacchati

[Bhīma, meditation on Brahman, moves (to Brahman), thinking...]+

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[...“There is no equal to me in strength of arms, ie, I am the best means to destroy karmas obstructing liberation. He goes (to Brahman) extending his arms, ie, jnāna & vairāgya (2 arms)]

bāhū vidarśayanrājanbāhudraviṇadarpitaḥ cikīrṣankarma śatrubhyo bāhudravyānurūpataḥ+

[Proud of strength of arms (jnāna & vairāgya), Bhīma (meditation on Brahman), displays his arms (ie, displaying jnāna in attaining experience of Brahman & vairāgya to sense objects), desiring to perform deeds worthy of those arms to his enemies (karmās)]+

#Hinduism #Hindus

That concludes the conduct of Bhīma, who also made this vow:

suyodhanamimaṃ pāpaṃ hantāsmi gadayā yudhi śira: pādena cāsyāham aśisthāsyāmi bhūtale

[I shall kill this sinful wretch Suyodhana in a mace fight. Felling him on the ground, I shall place my foot on his head.]+

True Meaning: [I, meditation on Brahman, shall kill this body called “suyodhana” as it is agreeable to the self that fights against its’ true nature, that is associated with sin, in a fight using knowledge signified by the mace...]+

#Hinduism #Mahabharata #SanatanaDharma

[…I, meditation on Brahman, shall place my support signified by “foot” (pāda) on the mind which is the head or crest (śira) of the body, leaving it in saṃsāra upon liberation.]

In the next post, will look at Arjuna’s conduct.//

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