Battle Royale

महाभरत

Mahābharata

As retold by

Michael Dolan, B.V. Mahāyogi

The Duel of Giants

Paraśurāma was angered with me. His eyes red with rage he said, “Obey me or die.”

TV version of Bhishma vs. Parashuram

I replied, “O best of brahmaṇas, you are my guru. You taught me the use of arms. I cannot take up arms against you or contest you in combat. It is against dharma.”

Paraśurāma said, “As your guru I order you. Take this maiden and preserve your race!”

I said, “As you well know, I swore an oath to my father before the gods. I cannot break my word. You well know the importance of obedience to one's father. I cannot break my word. Your labors for Amba are in vain. I cannot forsake dharma.”

Bhishma's Oath

“Then die! Coward or half-man, you dare to challenge the word of your guru? Prepare to die!”

I replied, “Some orders given by guru may come from pride. How can I follow orders that go against dharma? If you want to test me in battle, I am happy to meet you in a clean fight.” And so saying, I put on my armor and prepared to fight.

Graphic Novel Interpretation of Bhishma vs Parashurama

Parashurama swore: “Then Let thy mother Jahnavi, O Bhiṣma; behold thee dead on the plain of Kurukṣetra, and your body picked by vultures and crows. Let the Ganges pour forth her waters in tears for her son on this day. O proud and insolent boy, always ready for a fight, today your guru will teach you the final lesson. Prepare to die.”

So I bowed before my guru and said his pranam mantra. I prepared my car for battle and rode out into the plains of Kurukṣetra where we two were to meet in mortal combat. I readied my weapons and prayed to Viṣṇu.  

Battle Chariot: Egypt, 1300 B.C.

When I was ready I turned to my guru and said, “You should mount a battle chariot like mine, my preceptor. You stand no chance against my weapons.”

Parashuram

            That great exterminator of princes said, “The Earth, O Bhiṣma, is my chariot. The four Vedas are my horses. The wind is my driver, and my armor, the Vedic mantras. 

And as he said this, as if by a miracle, I beheld the son of Jamadagni seated on a Great War chariot equipped with all kinds of weapons. His chariot did not touch the ground and was driven by celestial horses. He came at me and unleashed a terrible shower of arrows. As he came I was glad that if I were to die in battle, my death would come at the hands of my guru, the great Paraśurāma, and my entrance into heaven was assured.

            As he showered me with arrows I got off my chariot and went on foot to him and bowed before him, offering him praises in Sanskrit poetry. I said, “O Rama, you may be superior or equal to me in power, but I shall fight thee as thou art my own true guru. Bless me guru deva with victory in this terrible duel.” So saying, I bowed before him. My guru deva, Paraśurāma the terrible exterminator of princes, smiled and said, “I would have cursed you if you had not performed this reverence. I cannot wish you victory, but use what I taught you against me. Fight fairly; I am pleased with you who never deviate from the principles of dharma.”

BHIṢMA DUELS PARAŚURĀMA

He waited until I had returned to my chariot, when he struck me with 960 arrows. My horses and charioteers were covered with his shafts.

Battle tactics, stone carving India

I then told my preceptor, “My Lord, my arrows will not strike you, but they are aimed at the ego of warrior-hood that you have assumed.” I then showered a rain of arrows upon him. We fought like this for three days. Neither of us could gain advantage. We used the snake arrows, fire arrows, mantra arrows and many other weapons at our disposal.  

Ancient battle techniques of war, Assyria, 2000 BC

At last we began using mystical weapons, the Guhyaka, the Agneya, the Varuna, and were at the point of causing great peril to the world. Finally we understood the futility of our combat. If we had continued, we would have destroyed the world.  I was unable to vanquish him, and he equally unable to vanquish me. No good would come of further war between us. The only result of unleashing so many weapons would be the direct destruction of the universe itself.  The gods themselves asked us to desist. 

Some say that I won the battle, but it was not so. Neither of us could get the upper hand. After hurling every weapon known to god or man Paraśurāma was unable to defeat me in mortal combat, as I was unable to defeat him.  Our battle was inconclusive. Exhausted, we withdrew from the field after exchanging mutual respect. 

Still, Amba was not satisfied. She was determined to have her revenge.   

Star TV version of Amba