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Saiswaroopa Iyer

@Sai_swaroopa

Jul 16, 2025

The question in the schreenshot post is often the question asked by many whose knowledge of Mahabharata is derived from popular productions or abridged retellings.

In Short, 1-5 was all Dharma. 6 was done by Kauravas out of desperation.

Let us come point by point.

1. Killing of Bhishma 'using Shikhandi'

Surprise surprise! Shikhandi wasn't as useful in killing of Bhishma as one feels. Bhishma did tell Pandavas that he would cease to fight if Shikhandi' were to come to his fore. The knowledge was common to Pandavas and Kauravas.

Hence Duryodhana deployed everything within his power to keep Shikhandi' from reaching Bhishma on day 10. Arjuna had this formidable task of keeping the whole Kaurava host from harming Shikhandi', an amazing feat he performed and finally managed to get Shikhandi before Bhishma.

Lo! The old man was not an idiot to simply drop his arms because a prince of questionable gender stood before him. He avoided Shikhandi but continued to find with more vigour, killing other Pandava soldiers. One can speculate he expected the five brothers to relax after bringing Shikhandi, but Arjuna was agile though taken by surprise. He fought Bhishma matching his vigour. In a fair and square duel of arrows, Arjuna disarmed Bhishma, inthe process, wounding him with so many arrows that the latter could not touch the ground when he fell.

Conclusion - Shikhandi (might have been a ploy to catch the Pandavas off guard) though a decent warrior, was not as useful as people think he was. 1/n

2. Killing Karna when "unarmed".

Here is the nuanced detail which again the non readers of unabridged Mahabharata miss out.

Before facing Karna in battle, Arjuna has a stand off with Yudhishthira, after which the brothers reconcile. But Yudhishthira warns Arjuna that he would kill himself if Arjuna fails to kill Karna by sunset. Arjuna faced an equal pressure to kill Karna that day as he had faced on day 14 while killing Jayadrata.

Karna and Arjuna face off. Karna uses Brahmastra thrice before he could not use it any more (contrary to the understanding that his memory failed him). Then his chariot wheel sinks in the mud. Now a stationary chariot is akin to a sitting rabbit in an archery duel. For reasons best left to speculation, Duryodhana does not send a spare chariot to rescue Karna like the countless ones he had sent to protect Drona before. (May be they were all depleted).

So Karna tries to rescue the wheel but is also fighting simultaneously. Arjuna who was in the heat of the upped duel was about to invoke a higher combination Astra, but seeing Karna in that state, he actually lowers his game and sends Agneya/Aindra(possibly hoping that Karna would recover and the battle would reach a crescendo before he could kill Karna. Yes, Arjuna preferred a style, finesse and rhythm to a battle) at Karna.

Karna wards off the lower astras. Than Krishna warns Arjuna not to let Karna revert back. Arjuna is now caught between Krishna's counsel, his inherent sense of fairness to let Karna up and the overarching aim to kill him before sunset. He chooses to gamble the power of his austerities here. Arjuna synthesizes a Divyastra using his own Brahmacharya (A householder who copulates with wife only to bear a child and not for his pleasure is considered equal to a Brahmachari) as the spiritual capital and sends it upon Karna saying if this was a right act, his Dharma would ensure that his enemy is killed.

The Arjuna-made weapon downs Karna. It was Dharma killing an Adharmi for Dharma. 2/n

3. Manipulating Death of Ashvatthama (While killing Drona).

Few people understand the turnaround of Dharmaraja's personality and how he proves himself as a better leader/patriarch than Bhishma.

Drona's leadership of the Kaurava host from days 11-15 is nothing short of a feat. But in contrast to Bhishma' s cold and ruthless rhythm, his methods (Chakravyuha - a day wasted in killing only Abhimanyu, night battle on day 14, higher than sustainable burn rate of weapons, bows, chariots and charioteers, etc) led to a burn out of all warriors on both sides. Yudhishthira had to do something to protect his soldiers fighting straight for over 48 hours with barely an hour of sleep in between (again thanks to Arjuna)!

Krishna advises to break the false news if killing Ashvatthama to Drona hoping that it would break Drona's Moha. Bhima kills an elephant named Ashvatthama and Yudhishthira utters that half lie. Again, like Bhishma on day 10, Drona springs a surprise by actually fighting with mad rage after hearing the news. So much that Rishis headed by Narada had to descend to tell him to give up arms at least now. (They too chose to not reveal the truth to Drona). Drona gives up arms after the Rishis press upon him. But instead of withdrawing from war, he sits there in deep meditation.

Paying no heed to Arjuna's instruction to take Drona a prisoner, Drishtadyumna kills Drona (to avenge his dead father, uncles and countless panchalas who were killed by Drona). A full blown argument heats up in the Pandava camp before Krishna and Sahadeva remind them that the war isn't yet done and they can save the nuance and debate for a later day.

Conclusion - Yudhishthira chose to sacrifice his Dharma as an individual (who spoke only the truth) to uphold his higher Dharma as a king protecting his soldiers (and bore the consequences). A huge contrast to Bhishma who let family suffer in a bid to protect his unnecessary oath and let soldiers die in a big to protect family. There in lies the lesson. 3/n.

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Saiswaroopa Iyer

@Sai_swaroopa

Oct 3, 2024

Happy #navaratri2024
Will share a Devistotram every day that I have a personal connection with and has helped me
#Navaratri Day 1
Arjuna Krita Durga Stotram

अर्जुन उवाच ।
नमस्ते सिद्धसेनानि आर्ये मन्दरवासिनि ।
कुमारि कालि कापालि कपिले कृष्णपिङ्गले ॥ 1 ॥

भद्रकालि नमस्तुभ्यं महाकालि नमोऽस्तु ते ।
चण्डि चण्डे नमस्तुभ्यं तारिणि वरवर्णिनि ॥ 2 ॥

कात्यायनि महाभागे करालि विजये जये ।
शिखिपिञ्छध्वजधरे नानाभरणभूषिते ॥ 3 ॥

अट्टशूलप्रहरणे खड्गखेटकधारिणि ।
गोपेन्द्रस्यानुजे ज्येष्ठे नन्दगोपकुलोद्भवे ॥ 4 ॥

महिषासृक्प्रिये नित्यं कौशिकि पीतवासिनि ।
अट्टहासे कोकमुखे नमस्तेऽस्तु रणप्रिये ॥ 5 ॥

उमे शाकम्भरि श्वेते कृष्णे कैटभनाशिनि ।
हिरण्याक्षि विरूपाक्षि सुधूम्राक्षि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥ 6 ॥

वेदश्रुतिमहापुण्ये ब्रह्मण्ये जातवेदसि ।
जम्बूकटकचैत्येषु नित्यं सन्निहितालये ॥ 7 ॥

त्वं ब्रह्मविद्या विद्यानां महानिद्रा च देहिनाम् ।
स्कन्दमातर्भगवति दुर्गे कान्तारवासिनि ॥ 8 ॥

स्वाहाकारः स्वधा चैव कला काष्ठा सरस्वती ।
सावित्री वेदमाता च तथा वेदान्त उच्यते ॥ 9 ॥

स्तुतासि त्वं महादेवि विशुद्धेनान्तरात्मना ।
जयो भवतु मे नित्यं त्वत्प्रसादाद्रणाजिरे ॥ 10 ॥

कान्तारभयदुर्गेषु भक्तानां चालयेषु च ।
नित्यं वससि पाताले युद्धे जयसि दानवान् ॥ 11 ॥

त्वं जम्भनी मोहिनी च माया ह्रीः श्रीस्तथैव च ।
सन्ध्या प्रभावती चैव सावित्री जननी तथा ॥ 12 ॥

तुष्टिः पुष्टिर्धृतिर्दीप्तिश्चन्द्रादित्यविवर्धिनी ।
भूतिर्भूतिमतां सङ्ख्ये वीक्ष्यसे सिद्धचारणैः ॥ 13 ॥

इति श्रीमन्महाभारते भीष्मपर्वणि त्रयोविंशोऽध्याये अर्जुन कृत श्री दुर्गा स्तोत्रम् ।

In Telugu script #Navaratri

అర్జున కృత శ్రీ దుర్గా స్తోత్రం

అర్జున ఉవాచ ।
నమస్తే సిద్ధసేనాని ఆర్యే మందరవాసిని ।
కుమారి కాళి కాపాలి కపిలే కృష్ణపింగళే ॥ 1 ॥

భద్రకాళి నమస్తుభ్యం మహాకాళి నమోఽస్తు తే ।
చండి చండే నమస్తుభ్యం తారిణి వరవర్ణిని ॥ 2 ॥

కాత్యాయని మహాభాగే కరాళి విజయే జయే ।
శిఖిపింఛధ్వజధరే నానాభరణభూషితే ॥ 3 ॥

అట్టశూలప్రహరణే ఖడ్గఖేటకధారిణి ।
గోపేంద్రస్యానుజే జ్యేష్ఠే నందగోపకులోద్భవే ॥ 4 ॥

మహిషాసృక్ప్రియే నిత్యం కౌశికి పీతవాసిని ।
అట్టహాసే కోకముఖే నమస్తేఽస్తు రణప్రియే ॥ 5 ॥

ఉమే శాకంభరి శ్వేతే కృష్ణే కైటభనాశిని ।
హిరణ్యాక్షి విరూపాక్షి సుధూమ్రాక్షి నమోఽస్తు తే ॥ 6 ॥

వేదశ్రుతిమహాపుణ్యే బ్రహ్మణ్యే జాతవేదసి ।
జంబూకటకచైత్యేషు నిత్యం సన్నిహితాలయే ॥ 7 ॥

త్వం బ్రహ్మవిద్యా విద్యానాం మహానిద్రా చ దేహినామ్ ।
స్కందమాతర్భగవతి దుర్గే కాంతారవాసిని ॥ 8 ॥

స్వాహాకారః స్వధా చైవ కలా కాష్ఠా సరస్వతీ ।
సావిత్రీ వేదమాతా చ తథా వేదాంత ఉచ్యతే ॥ 9 ॥

స్తుతాసి త్వం మహాదేవి విశుద్ధేనాంతరాత్మనా ।
జయో భవతు మే నిత్యం త్వత్ప్రసాదాద్రణాజిరే ॥ 10 ॥

కాంతారభయదుర్గేషు భక్తానాం చాలయేషు చ ।
నిత్యం వససి పాతాళే యుద్ధే జయసి దానవాన్ ॥ 11 ॥

త్వం జంభనీ మోహినీ చ మాయా హ్రీః శ్రీస్తథైవ చ ।
సంధ్యా ప్రభావతీ చైవ సావిత్రీ జననీ తథా ॥ 12 ॥

తుష్టిః పుష్టిర్ధృతిర్దీప్తిశ్చంద్రాదిత్యవివర్ధినీ ।
భూతిర్భూతిమతాం సంఖ్యే వీక్ష్యసే సిద్ధచారణైః ॥ 13 ॥

ఇతి శ్రీమన్మహాభారతే భీష్మపర్వణి త్రయోవింశోఽధ్యాయే అర్జున కృత శ్రీ దుర్గా స్తోత్రమ్ ।

In #Kannada script upon suggestion by @Jeevandeshmukh avaru

ಅರ್ಜುನ ಕೃತ ಶ್ರೀ ದುರ್ಗಾ ಸ್ತೋತ್ರಂ
ಅರ್ಜುನ ಉವಾಚ ।
ನಮಸ್ತೇ ಸಿದ್ಧಸೇನಾನಿ ಆರ್ಯೇ ಮಂದರವಾಸಿನಿ ।
ಕುಮಾರಿ ಕಾಳಿ ಕಾಪಾಲಿ ಕಪಿಲೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣಪಿಂಗಳೇ ॥ 1 ॥

ಭದ್ರಕಾಳಿ ನಮಸ್ತುಭ್ಯಂ ಮಹಾಕಾಳಿ ನಮೋಽಸ್ತು ತೇ ।
ಚಂಡಿ ಚಂಡೇ ನಮಸ್ತುಭ್ಯಂ ತಾರಿಣಿ ವರವರ್ಣಿನಿ ॥ 2 ॥

ಕಾತ್ಯಾಯನಿ ಮಹಾಭಾಗೇ ಕರಾಳಿ ವಿಜಯೇ ಜಯೇ ।
ಶಿಖಿಪಿಂಛಧ್ವಜಧರೇ ನಾನಾಭರಣಭೂಷಿತೇ ॥ 3 ॥

ಅಟ್ಟಶೂಲಪ್ರಹರಣೇ ಖಡ್ಗಖೇಟಕಧಾರಿಣಿ ।
ಗೋಪೇಂದ್ರಸ್ಯಾನುಜೇ ಜ್ಯೇಷ್ಠೇ ನಂದಗೋಪಕುಲೋದ್ಭವೇ ॥ 4 ॥

ಮಹಿಷಾಸೃಕ್ಪ್ರಿಯೇ ನಿತ್ಯಂ ಕೌಶಿಕಿ ಪೀತವಾಸಿನಿ ।
ಅಟ್ಟಹಾಸೇ ಕೋಕಮುಖೇ ನಮಸ್ತೇಽಸ್ತು ರಣಪ್ರಿಯೇ ॥ 5 ॥

ಉಮೇ ಶಾಕಂಭರಿ ಶ್ವೇತೇ ಕೃಷ್ಣೇ ಕೈಟಭನಾಶಿನಿ ।
ಹಿರಣ್ಯಾಕ್ಷಿ ವಿರೂಪಾಕ್ಷಿ ಸುಧೂಮ್ರಾಕ್ಷಿ ನಮೋಽಸ್ತು ತೇ ॥ 6 ॥

ವೇದಶ್ರುತಿಮಹಾಪುಣ್ಯೇ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಣ್ಯೇ ಜಾತವೇದಸಿ ।
ಜಂಬೂಕಟಕಚೈತ್ಯೇಷು ನಿತ್ಯಂ ಸನ್ನಿಹಿತಾಲಯೇ ॥ 7 ॥

ತ್ವಂ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮವಿದ್ಯಾ ವಿದ್ಯಾನಾಂ ಮಹಾನಿದ್ರಾ ಚ ದೇಹಿನಾಮ್ ।
ಸ್ಕಂದಮಾತರ್ಭಗವತಿ ದುರ್ಗೇ ಕಾಂತಾರವಾಸಿನಿ ॥ 8 ॥

ಸ್ವಾಹಾಕಾರಃ ಸ್ವಧಾ ಚೈವ ಕಲಾ ಕಾಷ್ಠಾ ಸರಸ್ವತೀ ।
ಸಾವಿತ್ರೀ ವೇದಮಾತಾ ಚ ತಥಾ ವೇದಾಂತ ಉಚ್ಯತೇ ॥ 9 ॥

ಸ್ತುತಾಸಿ ತ್ವಂ ಮಹಾದೇವಿ ವಿಶುದ್ಧೇನಾಂತರಾತ್ಮನಾ ।
ಜಯೋ ಭವತು ಮೇ ನಿತ್ಯಂ ತ್ವತ್ಪ್ರಸಾದಾದ್ರಣಾಜಿರೇ ॥ 10 ॥

ಕಾಂತಾರಭಯದುರ್ಗೇಷು ಭಕ್ತಾನಾಂ ಚಾಲಯೇಷು ಚ ।
ನಿತ್ಯಂ ವಸಸಿ ಪಾತಾಳೇ ಯುದ್ಧೇ ಜಯಸಿ ದಾನವಾನ್ ॥ 11 ॥

ತ್ವಂ ಜಂಭನೀ ಮೋಹಿನೀ ಚ ಮಾಯಾ ಹ್ರೀಃ ಶ್ರೀಸ್ತಥೈವ ಚ ।
ಸಂಧ್ಯಾ ಪ್ರಭಾವತೀ ಚೈವ ಸಾವಿತ್ರೀ ಜನನೀ ತಥಾ ॥ 12 ॥

ತುಷ್ಟಿಃ ಪುಷ್ಟಿರ್ಧೃತಿರ್ದೀಪ್ತಿಶ್ಚಂದ್ರಾದಿತ್ಯವಿವರ್ಧಿನೀ ।
ಭೂತಿರ್ಭೂತಿಮತಾಂ ಸಂಖ್ಯೇ ವೀಕ್ಷ್ಯಸೇ ಸಿದ್ಧಚಾರಣೈಃ ॥ 13 ॥

ಇತಿ ಶ್ರೀಮನ್ಮಹಾಭಾರತೇ ಭೀಷ್ಮಪರ್ವಣಿ ತ್ರಯೋವಿಂಶೋಽಧ್ಯಾಯೇ ಅರ್ಜುನ ಕೃತ ಶ್ರೀ ದುರ್ಗಾ ಸ್ತೋತ್ರಮ್ ।

#Navaratri

Read 14 tweets

Saiswaroopa Iyer

@Sai_swaroopa

Sep 9, 2024

Saw a video about a child dancing for a school programme dressed in a costume that's apallingly off the mark for any educational institution.

Let me share an incident that's happened to us. Last year, my daughter's class too was taught a dance to perform on their annual day++

++The song was a typical 90s bollywood medley. The lyrics had nothing objectionable though I was slightly uncomfortable with the near romantic theme. But till the d day, we had no clue of the costume till the children appeared on the stage.
Husband & I were shocked at the sight++

++ we took it up with the teacher who casually said, "it's ok sir, they are small kids."
I said "exactly mam! They are small kids which is why it's NOT OK!"

Apparently we were the only parents objecting to the costume and we were advised to look at what the other "top" schools+

Read 11 tweets

Saiswaroopa Iyer

@Sai_swaroopa

Jul 16, 2024

Saw quite a few tweets on job crisis in the mid leadership zone.

Lets define mid Leadership zone (next to AVP, Principal, Chief Architect, etc where your salary is 25 LPA and upwards).

Crisis : Job is endangered at the first case of faltering from deliverables

No sufficient++

++openings in the zone as there are for entry level.

Family responsibilities make it harder and not so fit mind and body adds to the ordeal

A few thoughts and unsolicited advice to those who haven't yet reached this stage.

1. Watch your lifestyle from your early career++

Eating out, ordering in, pubbing and indulgences - dont get there or if you are already there - Cut it ruthlessly.
1-2 year's eat out/party expenses in the first year of your job, if invested well, could suffice a couple of years of school education for your future kids ++

Read 9 tweets

Saiswaroopa Iyer

@Sai_swaroopa

Jul 13, 2024

Watched Kalki 2898

Production and conception both are top notch. Full appreciation to @nagashwin7 and team.
Managing three superstars is no mean achievement.

Finer and detailed review to follow.

(Yes Karna Arjuna thing still is incorrect).

1. Dystopian/Post Apocalyptic Kashi - Sends a shiver down the spine...

When we watch western post apocalyptic films, we dont care seeing a desertified New York or London. I wouldn't have cared much about a Bengaluru or a Delhi too.
But seeing a desertified Kashi with Ganga++

++dried up sends a different kind of shiver down our spines.

A sacred space threatened like it is shown in the movie provides that need for the Avatara who would end everything and start it all over again.

I pondered lomg if that portrayal was good, bad or a warning++

Read 13 tweets

Saiswaroopa Iyer

@Sai_swaroopa

Jun 29, 2024

https://twitter.com/Sai_swaroopa/status/1254389261387747328

Never expected my >4 year old thread to go viral.

This thread is for the enthusiasts who
1) Found the below thread interesting or intriguing
2)Are saying it is false
3)Alleging it is from local sources

Read the thread and make your conclusions

The source for my research was++

https://twitter.com/Sai_swaroopa/status/1254389261387747328

++ The Unabridged Critical Edition of The Mahabharata by BORI, translated by Dr. @bibekdebroy sir.

The volumes 5,6,7 and a part of 8 of this set deal with the War and aftermath.

My methodology :
1)Read through and record every confrontation on an excel sheet++

2) Result of each confrontation was recorded based on
2a) Explicit mention in the text. If not mentioned explicitly
2b) A warrior killing the opponent
2c) Opponent fainting or fleeing the battle field mid-confrontation
2d) Interruption by other warriors (NR -No Result)
++

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