Samsara, or worldly existence, is replete with the most strange, unbelievable and even unacceptable events, is the critical observation of Janamejaya when he seeks clarification from Vyasa for many of his doubts in the Devi Bhagavata Purana. He is frank and extremely critical in voicing his misgivings about dharma and the way it has been upheld by even those who are honoured as righteous, pointed out Sri K. Srinivasan in a discourse. He points out that his own ancestors Yudhishtira, Bheema and Arjuna have faulted from dharma on many instances. He feels that the Rajasuya yaga was done with the main intent to kill Sisupala and not with any noble aim. But actually this is not so in the context.
The Pandavas were saddled with the dense Kandava vana and they had to build Indraprasta with great effort and of course with Krishna’s assistance. They had to conduct the Rajasuya yaga to establish their suzerainty. In the course of the ‘Agra puja,’ when Sisupala insults Him, Krishna, after giving a long rope, finally uses His Chakrayudha and Sisupala merges with Him. Likewise, he sees the many instances of adharma in the Mahabharata war that have clearly the Lord’s sanction. Even Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and Karna sacrifice their values when targeting the young and valiant Abhimanyu or Gatothkacha in the battlefield. They are only bent on winning. The dharmatma Yudhishtira known for his righteousness gives up his principles to bring about the fall of Drona. Jarasandha is killed by unjust means.
Are not they wise enough to know that samsara has no real worth or ‘sara’ in this brief and ephemeral existence? Why did they not get the feeling that it is not worthwhile to compromise on dharma and win the battle? He is distressed by the dilution of moral values that has left dharma that is symbolically represented as a bull standing on just one leg.
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