Bhīṣma's conch was a celebratory signal, seeking victory
tasya sañjanayan harṣaṃ kuru vṛddhaḥ pitāmahaḥ siṃha nādaṃ vinadyoccaiḥ śaṇkhaṃ dadhmau pratāpavān
Then Bhīṣma, the mighty patriarch of the Kuru dynasty, their glorious grandfather, roared like a lion and blew his conch, giving Duryodhana joy
To relax and allow whatever happens to happen is the sure sign of an evolved spirit.
Bhisma was highly respected for his valor and sagacity. It is one of the greatest ironies of Mahabharata that wise men like Bhisma and Drona chose to be on Duryodhana's side, knowing fully well that whatever path Duryodhana was following was morally incorrect.
In the highest spiritual sense there is no right or wrong morally. Everything is neutral. Bhisma and Drona were highly learned in the scriptural truths. Moreover, they were fully aware that Krsna was a divine incarnation. The very fact that Krsna sided with the Pandavas was a clear indication to them how the war would unfold. They had no fears about their own deaths; and more importantly, they had no guilt about what they had embarked upon.
Men like Bhisma, Drona and Krpacarya trusted their awareness. Duryodhana was their prince and they were committed to him. They were certain that Duryodhana would perish and they would too, along with him. To these great warriors, dying on the battlefield was the duty of a ksatriya, a warrior. What was more important to them was that they were rooted in the awareness of the present moment, carrying out their duty. Their awareness transcended the moral rights and wrongs established by society and religion. They disapproved of Duryodhana's insult of the Pandava princes and Draupadi in the court but did not protest. They disapproved of Duryodhana's instigation of this war and yet took his side, knowing fully well that what lay ahead was destruction. This was not foolishness or resignation.
This was surrender to the inevitable, to the Divine.
These great masters allowed nature to take its own course and allowed themselves to be swept along with the tide.
To relax and allow whatever happens to happen is the sure sign of an evolved spirit. Ordinary human beings have the freedom to think, choose, and act. As a result, they think they are in control of their destinies. In one sense they are; they make their decisions and act upon them. But it is their unconscious samskaras, the memories, value systems, and beliefs that drive them into and through all these decisions.
The child should understand that there are two ways to live life, one is through acceptance and the flow of nature and the other is that of resistance, which brings suffering.
- 1. Which dynasty did Bhisma belong to?
- 2. Which side did Krsna stand by?
- 3. In the Kauravas side, instructions were
- given to ensure protection of whom?
MATERIALS NEEDED:
- 1. Balloon
- 2. Ball
- 3. Cubby
- 4. Cloth bits
PROCEDURE
Using balloons they can form a design like Happy New Year or Happy face or any other structure. They can create any maximization of art by choosing from the materials available.
Inference:
Connect them to the fact that there are only two ways of relating with the world, if you do not feel responsible you react, if you feel you are responsible you respond.
Material Needed:
1 Feather per Child
Procedure:
Give each child a feather and ask them to blow it up in the air, try to keep it up.
Inference:
A feather floats on the wind and goes with the flow of things; it is open and accepts life as it comes. Great masters allow themselves to be swept along with the tide.
Materials needed: Paper Pencil or pen