01 Jul 2020
Shri Durgaprasad asked: Pādanamaskāram Swami! In the Sankranti message on January 15, 2020, You said that Bhīṣma died praying to Krishna with full concentration and got salvation. But throughout his life, his goal was only pravṛtti and, in fact, he only sided with injustice. He did not practically serve the Lord at all. Then, how could he get salvation? At Your divine feet, Durgaprasad.
Swami replied: The day of the salvation of Bhīṣma is considered to be a holy festival for all spiritual aspirants. Bhīṣma led his entire life committed only to the goal of pravṛtti. But pravṛtti and nivṛtti are always interrelated and intermingled. One need not leave worldly life (pravṛtti) and lead a pure spiritual life (nivṛtti) to get salvation. Family life is not a hindrance in the spiritual path. While remaining with the family, one can indeed attain the grace of God.
Of course, Bhīṣma was foolish in siding with injustice owing to his foolish vow. Justice is greater than one’s personal vow or promise. Finally, He realised this and helped the Paṇḍavās by revealing the secret of his death. At night, after the 9th day of the war, Krishna visited Bhīṣma, along with Dharmarāja, where Bhīṣma revealed the secret of how he could be killed. Accordingly, on 10th day of the war, Arjuna was able to shoot many arrows at Bhīṣma, making him lie on the bed of arrows, awaiting his death.
Just before the war began, Dharmarāja alone had approached Bhīṣma to know the secret of how to kill the invincible Bhīṣma. But Bhīṣma had not revealed the secret of killing him. He revealed the secret only when approached by Krishna. This shows how much value he gave to God Krishna. Krishna, had vowed to support the Pāṇḍavas only by advising them and being a charioteer of Arjuna, without actually fighting from their side. In spite of that, on two occasions, Krishna had jumped out of the chariot, ready to attack. On those occasions, Bhīṣma saluted and prayed to Krishna in total surrender, even though he stood on the opposite side in the war. In his prayers, Bhīṣma praised Lord Krishna as the ultimate God and invited Krishna to kill him and give salvation to him. This again shows how much importance he gave to nivṛtti over pravṛtti. Even previously, in the rājasūya sacrifice conducted by the Pāṇḍavas, it was Bhīṣma who had suggested the name of Krishna as the person who should be worshipped in the beginning. By jumping out from the chariot on the battlefield and rushing to attack Bhīṣma with His Sudarśana wheel-weapon, Krishna preached an important lesson to Bhīṣma. Krishna showed that, for the sake of protecting justice, He did not mind breaking His vow of not using a weapon in the war. By this, He indicated to Bhīṣma that one’s personal vow or promise can certainly be broken for the sake of justice and God. Bhīṣma understood this preaching of Lord Krishna and broke his vow by revealing the secret of his death, when Krishna approached him. Thus, throughout his life, Bhīṣma gave the highest value to Krishna, who was his contemporary Human Incarnation of God. His salvation was therefore, justified.
Keywords:
| Shri Datta Swami | How could Bhishma get salvation after having sided with injustice? | pravrutti nivrutti
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