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88.SOMADATTA'S END
Bhurisravas who heard this did not answer
but spread his arrows on the ground with
his left hand and made a seat for
meditation.
The old warrior sat in yoga and the sight
deeply moved all the Kaurava soldiers.
They cheered Bhurisravas and uttered
reproaches against Krishna and Arjuna.
Arjuna spoke: "Brave men, I am sworn to
protect every friend within bow-shot of
me and I cannot let an enemy kill him. It
is my sacred pledge. Why do you blame
me? It is not right to hurl reproaches
without due thought."
After saying this to the warriors in the
field who reproached him, he turned to
Bhurisravas and said: "O excellent among
brave men, you have protected many who
have gone to you for help. You know that
what has happened is due to your own
error. There is no justice in blaming me. If
you like, let us all blame the violence
which governs kshatriya life."
Bhurisravas, who heard this, lowered his
head in salutation.
Satyaki now recovered consciousness and
rose. Carried away by the impetuosity of
his passion, he picked up a sword and,
advancing to Bhurisravas, sitting in yoga
on his seat of arrows, even when all
around were shouting in horror and before
Krishna and Arjuna, who rushed to the
spot, could prevent him, with one swift
and powerful cut, he struck off the old
warrior's head which rolled down, while
the body was still in the posture of
meditation.
The gods and the siddhas, who looked on
from above the battlefield, uttered
blessings on Bhurisravas. Everyone in the
field condemned Satyaki's act.
Satyaki maintained he was right, saying:
"After I fell down senseless, this enemy of
my family placed his foot on my prostrate
figure and attempted to kill me. I may slay
him in whatever posture he might choose
to be." But none approved of his conduct.
The slaying of Bhurisravas is one of the
many situations of moral conflict woven
into the story of the Mahabharata to
demonstrate that, when hatred and anger
have been roused, codes of honor and
dharma are powerless to control them.
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