7. "Know also, O best among the twice-born! the names of those who are the most distinguished amongst ourselves, the leaders of my army; these I name to thee for thy information.
8. "Thyself and Bhishma, and Karna and also Kripa, the victorious in war, Asvatthama, Vikarna, and also Bhurisrava, the son of Somadatta.
9. "And also many other heroes who are ready to give up their lives for my sake, armed with various weapons and missiles, all well-skilled in battle.
10. "This army of ours marshalled by Bhisma is insufficient, whereas that army of theirs marshalled by Bhima is sufficient.
11. "Therefore, do ye all, stationed in your respective positions, in the several divisions of the army, protect Bhisma alone.
12. His glorious gransire (Bhisma), the oldest of the Kauravas, in order to cheer Duryodhana, now roared like a lion, and blew his conch.
______
7 COMMENTARY: "Twice born" refers to the first three castes of Brahmin, Kshatriya, and Vaishya.
8 COMMENTARY: The Mahabharata, India's National Epic, is divided into sections; the Bhagavad Gita is one such section, known as the Bhishma Parva.
Bhishma is a half-god and his name means "He who rules fear". He is the guardian and patriarch of the Kauravas and Pandavas. He is well-loved and admired, even today, for his remarkable wisdom and unflinching devotion to God.
Trapped by his fate, he must fight on the side of evil (with the Kauravas). Images of his lingering death, upon a bed of arrows, is a common and inspirational vision of how we should both face death and never - even in the face of horrific adversity - forsake God.
Karna - whose names means "He who thinks himself the Doer" - like the Pandavas, is a half-god (son to Surya); in fact, he is their long-lost brother. Tragically, none realize this until his death. Karna is an emblem of heroic honor and valor. Like Bhisma, his fate finds him on the side of the Kauravas. In Hatha Yoga, Karnasana, is named in remembrance of him.
Kripa or Kripacharya, which means "He Who Does and Gets", initially fought against the Pandavas, but later, realizing the error of his understanding, sided with them. As a reward, he was appointed as advisor to King Parikshith.
Asvatthama is the son of Dronacharya, the murderer of the children of the Pandavas. His name means, "He who is as obstinant as a horse".
Vikarna's name means "deaf to evil", he is a king who aligned himself with the Kauravas.
Bhurisrava is the son of King Somadatta. He is a wise man and close friend of Pandu, father of the Pandavas. Somadatta's name means "Ambassador of the Nectar of Devotion".
9 COMMENTARY: The Mahabharata reached its final form, that we know today, in 500-200 BCE (Before Common Era). The most common weapons used during this period (before and after) were the chariot, sword and shield, bow and arrow, spear and javelin, double-headed ax, mace and war hammer. Likewise, they utilized horses and elephants.
Some of the more spectacular weapons are the Sudarshan Chakra and the Vimana. The first is a weapon that so totally destroys the entity that it loses all possiblity of reincarnation, the latter is a flying machine (considered an anti-gravity device).
Kshattriyas, the Warrior Class, were well-versed in strength and stamina, physical and mental control through both external and internal disciplines - namely via Hatha Yoga. A typical warrior of the age would receive a 2 hour massage to prepare his body, then train for 6-8 hours, and finish with a 2 hour massage.
Even so, being a Kshattriya was more than physical and mental culture, but involved complex ritual and dedication rites to, mostly, war gods. For these warriors, realization was found through Kaya Sadhana, or 'body-spiritual perfection'.
10 COMMENTARY: Bhima is one of the five Pandavas, and his name means "He who knows no fear". Bhima was and still is well-known for his large size. As the largest of the Pandavas, even as a child he was often teased, especially by the Kauravas. As a grown man he was said to be taller, stronger, and more powerful then all other men.
Bhima met a powerful Asura in a forest, who he killed. This act obligated him to care for the Asura's daughter, Hidimba. The two later had a child, Ghatotkacha, who was a Giant, who came to fight by his father's side in the Great War.
11 COMMENTARY: Bhisma, as the head of the army, was to be protected at all costs. Further, as respected patriach, many who might have sided otherwise, now stood by his side; all the more reason to protect him.
12 COMMENTARY: Bhisma 'roared like a lion, and blew his conch.' Bhisma the Terrible is by far the most prominent character in the Mahabharata. He is the son of Ganga and Shantanu, a descendant of Bharata himself (the Patron of India/Bharat). He is a man of great honor, exemplary loyalty, and chivalrous behavior. His personality dominates the entire epic, including the Bhagavad Gita.
He becomes fatally wounded in the Great Battle, pierced by so many arrows (he is so powerful, he is almost immortal) that when he falls from his chariot, he never touches the earth, but lays on a 'couch of arrows'.
Half-god, he postponed his own death for fifty-eight (58) days, waiting for the sun to start its northern course so that his soul would more easily pass into heaven. While waiting for this celestial event, the Pandavas and Kauravas gathered in truce about him while he delivered many didactic discourses.
His ability to roar like a lion indicates his solar role and splender, as the lion is a symbol of the power that presides over the annual floods (Ganga's raging waters; his own Mother).
The Shankha, or "shell; conch" was used as bodily ornament, amulets, in libations, and as trumpets. The sound of the Shankha is said to divert disaster, destroy ignorance, evil influences, and has the ability to 'awaken' the Gods. These were divine devices which were given names; which will be seen in further slokas.
Be Whole!
Siddhananda Devi
tribes.tribe.net/adi_ayurveda
tribes.tribe.net/adi_bhagavad_gita
tribes.tribe.net/adi_tantra
tribes.tribe.net/hamsa_yoga
8. "Thyself and Bhishma, and Karna and also Kripa, the victorious in war, Asvatthama, Vikarna, and also Bhurisrava, the son of Somadatta.
9. "And also many other heroes who are ready to give up their lives for my sake, armed with various weapons and missiles, all well-skilled in battle.
10. "This army of ours marshalled by Bhisma is insufficient, whereas that army of theirs marshalled by Bhima is sufficient.
11. "Therefore, do ye all, stationed in your respective positions, in the several divisions of the army, protect Bhisma alone.
12. His glorious gransire (Bhisma), the oldest of the Kauravas, in order to cheer Duryodhana, now roared like a lion, and blew his conch.
______
7 COMMENTARY: "Twice born" refers to the first three castes of Brahmin, Kshatriya, and Vaishya.
8 COMMENTARY: The Mahabharata, India's National Epic, is divided into sections; the Bhagavad Gita is one such section, known as the Bhishma Parva.
Bhishma is a half-god and his name means "He who rules fear". He is the guardian and patriarch of the Kauravas and Pandavas. He is well-loved and admired, even today, for his remarkable wisdom and unflinching devotion to God.
Trapped by his fate, he must fight on the side of evil (with the Kauravas). Images of his lingering death, upon a bed of arrows, is a common and inspirational vision of how we should both face death and never - even in the face of horrific adversity - forsake God.
Karna - whose names means "He who thinks himself the Doer" - like the Pandavas, is a half-god (son to Surya); in fact, he is their long-lost brother. Tragically, none realize this until his death. Karna is an emblem of heroic honor and valor. Like Bhisma, his fate finds him on the side of the Kauravas. In Hatha Yoga, Karnasana, is named in remembrance of him.
Kripa or Kripacharya, which means "He Who Does and Gets", initially fought against the Pandavas, but later, realizing the error of his understanding, sided with them. As a reward, he was appointed as advisor to King Parikshith.
Asvatthama is the son of Dronacharya, the murderer of the children of the Pandavas. His name means, "He who is as obstinant as a horse".
Vikarna's name means "deaf to evil", he is a king who aligned himself with the Kauravas.
Bhurisrava is the son of King Somadatta. He is a wise man and close friend of Pandu, father of the Pandavas. Somadatta's name means "Ambassador of the Nectar of Devotion".
9 COMMENTARY: The Mahabharata reached its final form, that we know today, in 500-200 BCE (Before Common Era). The most common weapons used during this period (before and after) were the chariot, sword and shield, bow and arrow, spear and javelin, double-headed ax, mace and war hammer. Likewise, they utilized horses and elephants.
Some of the more spectacular weapons are the Sudarshan Chakra and the Vimana. The first is a weapon that so totally destroys the entity that it loses all possiblity of reincarnation, the latter is a flying machine (considered an anti-gravity device).
Kshattriyas, the Warrior Class, were well-versed in strength and stamina, physical and mental control through both external and internal disciplines - namely via Hatha Yoga. A typical warrior of the age would receive a 2 hour massage to prepare his body, then train for 6-8 hours, and finish with a 2 hour massage.
Even so, being a Kshattriya was more than physical and mental culture, but involved complex ritual and dedication rites to, mostly, war gods. For these warriors, realization was found through Kaya Sadhana, or 'body-spiritual perfection'.
10 COMMENTARY: Bhima is one of the five Pandavas, and his name means "He who knows no fear". Bhima was and still is well-known for his large size. As the largest of the Pandavas, even as a child he was often teased, especially by the Kauravas. As a grown man he was said to be taller, stronger, and more powerful then all other men.
Bhima met a powerful Asura in a forest, who he killed. This act obligated him to care for the Asura's daughter, Hidimba. The two later had a child, Ghatotkacha, who was a Giant, who came to fight by his father's side in the Great War.
11 COMMENTARY: Bhisma, as the head of the army, was to be protected at all costs. Further, as respected patriach, many who might have sided otherwise, now stood by his side; all the more reason to protect him.
12 COMMENTARY: Bhisma 'roared like a lion, and blew his conch.' Bhisma the Terrible is by far the most prominent character in the Mahabharata. He is the son of Ganga and Shantanu, a descendant of Bharata himself (the Patron of India/Bharat). He is a man of great honor, exemplary loyalty, and chivalrous behavior. His personality dominates the entire epic, including the Bhagavad Gita.
He becomes fatally wounded in the Great Battle, pierced by so many arrows (he is so powerful, he is almost immortal) that when he falls from his chariot, he never touches the earth, but lays on a 'couch of arrows'.
Half-god, he postponed his own death for fifty-eight (58) days, waiting for the sun to start its northern course so that his soul would more easily pass into heaven. While waiting for this celestial event, the Pandavas and Kauravas gathered in truce about him while he delivered many didactic discourses.
His ability to roar like a lion indicates his solar role and splender, as the lion is a symbol of the power that presides over the annual floods (Ganga's raging waters; his own Mother).
The Shankha, or "shell; conch" was used as bodily ornament, amulets, in libations, and as trumpets. The sound of the Shankha is said to divert disaster, destroy ignorance, evil influences, and has the ability to 'awaken' the Gods. These were divine devices which were given names; which will be seen in further slokas.
Be Whole!
Siddhananda Devi
tribes.tribe.net/adi_ayurveda
tribes.tribe.net/adi_bhagavad_gita
tribes.tribe.net/adi_tantra
tribes.tribe.net/hamsa_yoga
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