After the Kurukshetra war, Yudishtra becomes king. But Yudishtra is confused and, as a result, he is unhappy. It is Bhishma who advises him patiently and helps him overcome his agitation. Bhishma explains karma to Yudishtra. Why do we perform any action? It is desire that is behind every action, said Goda Venkateswara Sastrigal in a discourse. If we are thirsty, we seek water. So it is our desire to quench our thirst that makes us go in search of water. So the act of looking for water is prompted by the desire to quench our thirst.
In Yudishtra’s case, what is his desire? His desire is to see his subjects happy. That is clear to Bhishma. Yudishtra’s sorrow is occasioned by the loss of life in the war and the consequent misery of his subjects. It is this that has kept him awake. So Bhishma now tells him what he as a king can do, and must do, to keep his subjects happy.
What Yudishtra desires is the happiness and prosperity of his subjects. But what Yudishtra does not know is what karma he must do for fulfilment of this desire. Bhishma tells him that he must respect the educated and educate the uneducated. He must treat all his subjects with respect, no matter what their occupation. He should never think that any occupation is lowly. A king must ensure that all skills are developed. There are experts in every field. They must all be encouraged so that they not only make use of their expertise for the welfare of the country, but also train others to follow in their footsteps. Thus Bhishma shows Yudishtra how to channelise his desire in the proper direction and also helps to dispel his worry.
