THOUGHT SERIES - THE BHISHMA WAY Or THE JATAYU WAY NIRANJAN GIDWANI.

 

CONSULTANT DIRECTOR | BOARD MEMBER SSGMUAE | MEMBER UAE SUPERBRANDS COUNCIL | HBR ADVISORY COUNCIL | CHARTER MEMBER TIE DUBAI

No two people respond to the same situation in a similar way.

Here are examples of two legendary personalities who were faced with a very similar situation, but their responses were diagonally apart. Many different versions of this have appeared online and in print. Yet, it is worth a re-visit for periodic introspection.

For those who are unaware of the Indian epic Mahabharat and Ramayana, this is a comparative study between the characters Bhishma in the epic Mahabharat, and Jatayu in the epic Ramayana. Almost all scriptures of the world would have such stories of consequences of choices.

Both of them were confronted with their character when they had to handle decisions based on an assault on womanhood. The metaphor comes equally handy in the world of today’s decision making.

One chose to die protecting the victim, while the other remained a mute spectator to the crime.

1- POWERFUL or POWERLESS

Bhishma was a powerful warrior and if he wanted, he could have stopped the disrobing of Draupadi - the Queen. He chose to be a silent witness to this act.

Whereas Jatayu was old and invalid, and knew that in all probability, Ravana would kill him but still, he chose to try his best to protect Sita - the Queen. 

Bhishma was powerful yet remained powerless, whereas Jatayu was powerless yet acted powerful. 

"Real power is not about physical strength but about the deep desire to help."

2 - ALIVE or DEAD

Bhishma lived on for long, but died every day to his conscience, whereas Jatayu died once but lived eternally true to his conscience. 

" Our only constant companion is our conscience - better to be true to it."

3 -FAME or INFAMY

Bhishma's name and fame drowned in history because of this one act of not stopping the disrobing of Draupadi, but Jatayu's name and fame went high in history because of his act of trying to save Sita. 

" Sooner or later, we are all going to be mere names in history. Will we be equated with the bad or the good – the choice is ours."

4 - CULTURE or VULTURE

Bhishma was supposed to be a highly cultured human, but acted highly insensitive & stooped low in values like a vulture 

whereas 

Jatayu was supposed to be a lowly uncultured vulture but acted highly sensitive and soared to the skies in values like an evolved human. Who would you call more as a human - Bhishma or Jatayu? _

"One doesn't become a human being by being born as a human - one becomes a human being by being a human."_

5 - SPOKEN or UNSPOKEN WORDS

Draupadi begged Bhishma and pleaded for protection because she knew that if someone could protect her, it was only him. But still Bhishma stayed silent 

whereas 

Sita didn't even ask Jatayu for protection - she just wanted him to inform Rama about her kidnapping by Ravana, because she knew Jatayu was not powerful but still Jatayu tried to protect Sita.

Bhishma, being a human, couldn't even understand the spoken words of Draupadi, leave alone understanding her unspoken sentiments, whereas Jatayu, even though he was a mere bird, understood not only the spoken words of Sita but also her unspoken words.

"The language of heart is more powerful than the language of words."

6 - CLARITY or CONFUSION

Bhishma was so confused and engrossed in his Royal duty that he forgot that he had a higher duty - a moral duty

 

whereas

 Jatayu was so clear about his moral duty that no other duty was a consideration for him. 

"When caught up in dilemmas, best is to follow the higher principles - to follow our heart because it always knows the truth."

7 - GOOD or BAD EXAMPLE

Bhishma set a very bad precedent for generations to come 

whereas

 Jatayu set the most ideal precedent for generations to come. _

"If we can't be a great example, at least, let us not be a bad one."

8 - RELATIVE or STRANGER

Another interesting point is that Bhishma was an elderly relative of Draupadi but acted as a total stranger in this episode

 whereas

 Jatayu was not at all related to Sita, he was a stranger, but acted more than a dearest relative. 

"True relationships are based on connections of the heart, not just bodily connections."

9 - THE SAINTLY or THE WICKED

Both Bhishma and Jatayu had a few moments to decide what to do.

Life sometimes puts each of us in situations where, in a few moments, we need to take crucial decisions. 

What we decide very much depends on the kind of inner integrity we have cultivated by the association we keep. 

Bhishma’s intelligence was clouded and it failed the test of life because he associated with the wicked minded, the selfish Kauravas, whereas Jatayu's intelligence was crystal clear and it passed the test of life because he associated with the saintly, selfless Lakshman and the All-pure Lord Rama. 

"After all, who we are solely depends on whom we associate with."

10 - EMBRACE or NEGLECT

The Supreme Lord as Sri Krishna was not at all happy with this attitude of Bhishma, so much so that when He came as a peace messenger to Hastinapur, He didn't even bother to look at Bhishma

whereas 

The Supreme Lord as Ramachandra was so happy with the attitude of Jatayu that he embraced him and personally did his final rites - a honor that even Dashrath - His father did not receive. 

The scriptures explain that the ultimate test of any activity is, if the Supreme Lord is pleased with us. It is very clear, Bhishma displeased God whereas Jatayu pleased Him.

*This recount is not meant to criticize Bhishma - he is undoubtedly a great warrior and an amazing personality who sacrificed his personal desires for Hastinapur, 

but 

his inaction is being discussed here. The moral here is to learn from the choices made so that we are conscious history follows us. 

*When we see some injustice, some problem, we have only two options - either close our eyes to it or do something about it - follow "the Bhishma way" or "the Jatayu way"*

 and whichever way we choose – the consequences of our choices will be ours to bear.