KumaravyasaBharata : SabhaParva - Part 1

RajaSuya Yaaga

1) Rajasuya Yaaga episode is very interesting. It shows how Krishna initially makes Yudhistira understand the full impact / tasks ahead for taking it up by expressing non-agreement and later assures him full confidence in taking it up. It is a yaaga to be performed by a king / person who is eligible to be the ruler of the world. He has to defeat / make all kings in the world surrender to him with Kappa Kanike. Then everyone gets invited for the yaaga ceremony.

2) Jarasandha is the first king to be defeated. He is also very rightly called "Satyasandha" because when krishna offers him to pick either one of them (Krishna, Arjuna and Bheema) to fight with him, he rightly chooses Bheema considering the other two more like his kids and not his merit to fight with. He is also said to have held many kings captive. Jarasandha was about 75 yrs then and krishna / Arjuna / Bheema were about 26-28 yrs age. He is deemed to be nemisis of Krishna because he was furious on krishna for killing kamsa to whom jarasandha had given his two daughters (Asti and Prapti) as kamsa wives. Bheema, Keechaka, Bakasura and Duryodhana are only 4 people who were considered his (Jarasandha) equal in a fight.

3) After Jarasandhas defeat (about 27 days of fight), Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva go to 4 different corners and win over each kings. Yudhistira asks Krishna to be "Yagna Dheekisita" and perform the sacrifice as only he is the right person, but Krishna convinces Yudhistira that he is rigthly eligible to perform the yagna.

4) Many details follow in explaining the Raajasuya yaaga. It also gives a picture of wide boundaries of Bharatha (country), which all places, what all kings (chola, simhala, pandya, gowla, kerala, magadha, kekeya, laala, jounega, nepala, cheena, boata, varala etc..) had come to attend, all rishis etc. Bhishma and Dronacharya take the ownership and accountability for overall management of yaaga. Sanjaya takes up the shelter needs of all kings and their families, Sahadeva takes up set up for yaaga arrangements, Nakula goes and invities all parties in Hastinapur for yaaga, Dhusyasana takes up kitchen management, Kripacharya handles give and take needs of wealth, Duryodhana handles kings Kappa Kanike details (This makes him more angrier, found later in episode, to know how wealthy and prosperous pandavas have become), while Vidura takes up treasury department.

5) Rajasuya Yagna was performed for 7 days, and it was performed in such a way that, all devathes in suraloka who were standing next to Pandu were so pleased that they were fighting to get the havissu of sacrifice in their name. Nala, Nahusha, Dasharatha, Harishchandra kings who had performed rajasuya yaga earlier were super happy and all smiles. Cheranjeevi Markhandeya and Cheeranjevi Romasha were also present at the yaaga and they exclaimed they had never witnessed this yaaga so well performed anytime before. Narada was beaming end to end saying its because of him everyone could witness this yagna as he sowed the seed for this yagna.

6) All the kings present at Rajasuya yaaga are to be worshiped. When Yudhistira seeks Bheeshma's advice, Bhishma asks yudhistira to worship each king individually and choose Krishna for "Agra Pooja". Bheeshma says Krishna is glowing like a sun among all star kings here. Like how "HemaKoota Parvatha" is sherstha among all mountains, Like how "KsheeraSaagara" is shreshta among all oceans, in the same way among all deva and danavas, Shri Krishna is only the one who is shreshta! Without any doubt, pls go and worship Krishna's feet and offer him Agra Pooja. Bheeshma also asks yudhistira to check with "Vyasa", "Romasha", "Narada" etc to get their opinion too in his choice for agra pooja! Each of them stand with Bheeshma in his choice.

7) When Krishna was the chosen one for Agra Pooja, There was this one person, who had jealously and hatred burning on his face, stomach burn made volcanoes spew from his eyes, his moustache stiff, neck bone bulged outside, sharp words came out of his mouth. He is Shishupala. He screams at Sahadeva who brought krishna to stage for agra pooja. There is a barrage of words and reasoning why Krishna is not eligible. He even calls Bheeshma "Napumsaka". It goes for an entire episode. Kumaravyasa has picturised it so well that it comes as if there is an act performed by someone in front of your eyes.

8) Yudhistira feels he betrayed dharma when shishupala tries to walk away disappointed as he is invited by them for yaaga. He seeks for advice again by asking bhishma , is it dharma to fight with someone who is invited to our home and who helped make our celebration a success. Bhisma explains Krishnas greatness and offers wise words below. He asks to be patient and asks him to wait until Krishna responds.

Ingita dalli arithukolluvavaru mahatmaru
Keliye arithukolluvavaru madhyamaru (like samanya manushya)
Kannare Nodiyoo arthukolladavaru adhamaru. Nodi, kandu, keli jariyuvavanu shishupala.

9) Annadaana during Rajasuya yaaga - If there was samaaradhane for 1 lakh people, then a conch blow (Shanka Dhwani) need to be done. There was a conch blow for every minute without breaks from starting of yagna to end / complete. Imagine the crores and crores of people having food all returning satisfied and happy! Tuppa, mosaru was filled like oceans but emptied in no time and refilled again. Yudhistira was so humble that he requested each king / each person to feel at home, ask what they want and be treated the best.

10) A must listen to get a beautiful picture of how Rajasuya yaga was performed to understand Yudhistira's humility, Krishna's No - Nonsense behavior to let others take up what they are capable of and just give aid when asked (by not trying to overpower / super power anyone), Arjuna and Bheema's courage and faith in their strength. I think one will fall in love with joint-family! :)

*Note: These are personal notes based off on recordings heard from Kumaravyasa bharatha (Karnata Bharatha Kathaamanjari) vyakhyana from Muttor Krishnamoorthy and Hosahalli Keshavamoorthy.