Explaination:🔗

Debate which leads you to integrity first - visualization or verbalization.

The truth is Verbalization should lead to visualization.

It is significant that as Commander-in-Chief, Bhisma's conch sound was responded to by Krsna and not by anyone else. Krsna's was a response to the challenge issued by Bhisma. It was an acceptance of the fact that whatever was thrown at the Pandava army was being directly accepted by Him, Divinity Incarnate. Krsna, as the superconscious guide of the Pandava princes, absolves them of any guilt or wrongdoing by taking upon Himself the responsibility for whatever is to happen. The rest of the Pandava army, including Arjuna, follows His lead by blowing their conches. The Divine truly has no purpose. The Divine IS.

sa ghoṣo dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ hṛdayāni vyadārayat nabhaś ca pṛthivīṃ caiva tumulo vyanunādayan

The terrible sound echoing through the sky and the earth rent the hearts of the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Blowing of the conches created vibrations in the sky and upon the earth. The conches were filled with great spiritual power and divine presence. They were in fact mantra or sacred sounds, which created powerful vibrations affecting the environment.

atha vyavasthitān dṛṣṭvā dhārtarāṣṭrān kapidhvajaḥ pravṛtte śastrasaṃpāte dhanurudyamya pāṇḍavaḥ hṛṣīkeśaṃ tadā vākyam idam āha mahīpate

Seeing the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra arrayed in the battlefield, Arjuna, the son of Pāṇḍu, who was seated in his chariot, bearing the flag marked with Hanumān, took up his bow

Arjuna is not the mere hero of Mahābhārat in this Gītā scripture. He is the embodiment of all humanity.

arjuna uvāca senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṃ sthāpaya me 'cyuta yāvad etān nirīkṣe 'haṃ yoddhu kāmān avasthitān

Arjuna said: O Acyuta (Infallible One), please place my chariot between the two armies while I may observe these warriors arrayed for battle

Arjuna, embodiment of all humanity. He is Nara, the human aspect of Nārāyaṇa, Lord Viṣṇu, who in turn is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, as Nārāyaṇa and Nara, as the Divine and human, is the theme that runs throughout Bhagavad Gītā

kair mayā saha yoddhavyam asmin raṇasamudyame

Arjuna said with whom I have to engage in fight

Arjuna already knew whom he was fighting. It was as if he was hoping that at the last minute something would occur to change the course of events. If that were to happen, he knew that it could only take place through the grace of his charioteer, friend and guide, Mādhava.

When Bhisma sounded his conch, it invited in return the resounding response of the conches of the Pandava warriors. There is no mention by Sanjaya that Bhisma's conch or the accompanying sounds of drums and trumpets from the Kaurava army caused any concern amongst the Pandava army. But with the roar of the conches of the Pandava warriors, Sanjaya says that the hearts of the sons of Dhrtarastra were shattered.

He says that the blowing of the conches created vibrations in the sky and upon the earth. The conches of the Pandava princes and the great warriors were imbued with divine presence. The sound was filled with great spiritual power when activated by their owners. They created powerful vibrations affecting the environment.

The conches that the Pandava warriors used were clearly successful in destroying the fantasies that the Kaurava princes nurtured in their minds. The purpose of sounding conches was to set the stage for the battle and to define its boundaries. The Pandava princes and warriors had the comfort of knowing that they were doing what was right, both in their own hearts and in the eyes of God, since they had the support of Krsna Himself.

The Kaurava princes were afraid. All that motivated them was greed and envy. They did not have a divine purpose guiding and motivating them. Sanjaya was able to see far beyond the superficial responses of individuals on the battlefield. He was able to fathom the subconscious and unravel the deep emotions and responses of the warriors.

Whatever may have been the perceived reaction of the Kaurava army to the response from the Pandava warriors, Sanjaya concludes that the Kaurava princes were demoralized. The armies went face-to- face. They were in military formation. The warriors on both sides were waiting for their commanders to signal the first move in the offense.

Arjuna was at the forefront of the Pandava army. He blew his conch, Devadatta, at the same time as Krsna. Arjuna had taken up his divine bow Gandiva, and fixed the arrow to it. However, instead of releasing the arrow, Arjuna looked at the Kaurava army in front of him, with all the Kaurava princes, his relatives and teachers. He then addressed Krsna, his friend, mentor, divine guide and charioteer. For the first time in this scripture, Arjuna speaks. Arjuna is not the mere hero of Mahabharata in this Gita scripture. He is the embodiment of all humanity. He is Nara, the human aspect of Narayana, Lord Visnu, who in turn is Krsna. 'Infallible One,' said Arjuna to his friend and mentor, 'Please take me to a vantage point between the two armies so that I can see for myself whom I am fighting with. Who has taken up arms to fight and who are those I must be prepared to fight against. Krsna, please show me,' he says. 'Show me whom I must vanquish.'

Arjuna already knew each one who was on that battlefield at Kuruksetra. He had no confusion about whom he was fighting and whom he had to face. It made no sense at all for Arjuna to ask Krsna at this last minute to show him clearly whom he was fighting against. It was as if he was hoping that at the last minute something would occur to change the course of events. If that were to happen, he knew that it could only take place through the grace of his charioteer, friend, and guide. It is as if Arjuna was making a desperate plea to Krsna, 'Please show me something that I do not know. Show me something that You alone know, Oh Infallible Divine. Take me there, where You will, and show me.

To help the child understand that when you are doing something which you truly know is right, even the Gods will stand beside you and offer you support, even in moment of indecisiveness.

• 1. What effect was created upon the blowing of the Pandava conches?
• 2. Who was Krsna to Arjuna?
• 3. In what way was Arjuna described as embodying Lord Visnu?
• 4. What is the purpose of sounding conches before a war?
• 5. Why were the Pandavas confident in the beginning of the war?
• 6. Have you ever felt as if you were faced with a situation where there was a battle of your emotions in doing what you think is right?

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• 1. Paper
• 2. Pencils

• 3. Paint or color pencils
• 4. Brush

PROCEDURE

Give each child a half drawn picture and ask them to complete the picture and color it. Ask them whether they prefer the incomplete, half drawn, picture or the complete, fully drawn picture. "Which one is nicer or feels better?"