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When Yudhisthira was crowned as a ruler after the great war of Mahabharata had finished, Yudhisthira lost interest in decision-making work of his empire. People would come to his courtyard with some problems but King Yudhisthira would keep on discussing and mourning the loss of so many people in the war. He would start talking to the visitors about his sorrow and would say that it was an insignificant war in which he lost all his near and dear ones. King Yudhisthira was always depressed that he would delay the required action on administrative issues.
This way things started worsening and different sort of troubles started due to inaction on the part of the newly appointed King. In view of the fact that he was the King, nobody dared tell Yudhisthira about the flaw he acquired after becoming the king.
So, other Pandava brothers and kins decided to complain about this matter to Lord Krishna during this visit. Lord Krishna was told about the procrastination habit of Yudhisthira after the war events and related deaths.
Lord Krishna’s Tries to Bring Yudhisthira Out of His Depression
Lord Krishna when asked Yudhisthira about this weakness, King Yudhisthira replied “O Lord! I have no intention to skip my kingly responsibilities but what should I do? Whenever I want to do my routine work, I get the memories of war and the destruction it caused so I am unable to concentrate on my current work. ”
Lord Krishna decided to solve this dilemma with the help of an elder and the most senior elder available at that time was Bhishma Pitamah waiting for his death on the arrow-bed. So, Lord Krishna went to him alone and told the whole story to him. Bhishma asked lord Krishna to come with Yudhisthira next evening.
Yudhisthira and Krishna Meet Bhishma Pitamah
Late afternoon, Lord Krishna arrived with King Yudhisthira to see Bhishma Pitamah but Yudhisthira was not conscious that Pitamah knew his present problem. During the course of the discussions, Pitamah raised the point that he had heard from the community that Yudhisthira was not taking seriousness in his kingly duties. Yudhisthira agreed to Bhishma Pitamah’s statement and told that the war and loss of life of his dear and near ones during the war keeps haunting him. Bhishma asked Yudhisthira to announce to the entire humankind that he was the crown King now and perform a grand Yagya. For this he should organize a great assembly function, where he should invite other great kings and acquaintances. Yudhisthira agreed to this idea of Bhishma’s and promised host a grand event.
Yudhisthira Hosts the Rajasuya Yagya
After coming back from meeting Bhishma, Yudhisthira called his brothers and officers and asked them to start preparing for such Rajsuya Yagya. A lot of activities and preparation commenced and people started acting to make the event unforgettable.
After one month, on the planned day, the mega-event happened. A number of kings and old associates of Pandavas and Lord Krishna gathered, had talks, deliberations and enjoyed the song and dance programs with majestic feast. The event ended successfully.
After the fiesta ended, Lord Krishna told Yudhisthira that they ought to go to meet Pitamah and tell him that his wish had been satisfied. They went to meet Pitamah. After a few follow-up courteousness talks, Pitamah asked Lord Krishna “Does common public still make grievance about King’s loss of interest in supremacy?”
Lord Krishna replied “No Pitamah! On the contrary they are admiring now King’s fast decision-making and rapid actions on matters of domination.” Yudhisthira was at a loss to appreciate the whole chat so he asked Pitamah what they were discussing about him. Then Bhishma explained the whole matter to Yudhisthira, which is significant to all of us, all the time in each human being’s life.
Overcoming Tragedies in Life – Bhishma’s Advice to Yudhisthira
He said “O dear grandson! Lord Krishna had told me about your lack of concern in the daily activities of the Kingdom and I confirmed it with you also. I could also have advised you in vocabulary to stop thinking about long-ago tragedies but it would not have worked, just as you unnoticed Lord Krishna’s advice. Remember Yudhisthira! We are more shattered by thinking over misery of past actions than the real events could harm when they happened. Mahabharta war finished after 18 days but that war is still ongoing in your mind’s reminiscence and preventing you from your current errands.
This can carry on for imprecise period until one more good or bad event takes place. Our brain has the habit to keep alive the memory of the most recent event. Therefore, a bad event memory just cannot be wished away but it will be routinely concealed when a new and a bigger event takes place. Now it is not sure when the next big event will occur and it is also not sure that next event will be generating any good memories alone. Therefore, only way out is to plan a good event physically and get caught up in that real and physical event. That is why I asked you to carry out a grand event of Rajsuya Yagya. Once you got a new real plan, your brain had to leave the make-believe bad memories of past because brain can do only one task at a time. Only a lonesome person, with lot of time, possessions and no risk of losing his living or life has the luxury of staying depressed and sad for dead souls and that is what you were doing. Once you get real issues in life, which are more vital and prominently affecting you, you will get out of such inactions. So, making an event triumphant became your real issue and your mind got away from bad memories. Further, each new action of training will make new good memories and those will repress all bad old memories.
Finally, the festival day or climax event will certainly make new memories because of meeting with old associates and happy memories will put to rest all the bad memories. By completing a grand project, your self-confidence level will also be boosted. Yudhisthira profusely thanked Bhishma Pitamah for his great life lesson and getting him out of despair and again putting him in standard mode.
This story is pertinent to all of us in life. We all have deaths in our family and each death may be very disturbing for some near family members like son-mother-father-brother, husband-wife etc.
Because of these reasons for depression, we have many physical rituals starting just after a loss. We are not sure how these rituals affect the deceased soul but Bhishma’s story tells the real significance of such acts and these do help the family members to move on and engage effectively in the important daily activities of life.
