Bhishma’s Role
It is interesting to note how Devdutt Pattanaik evaluates Bhisma’s role vis-a-vis the ideal role during the Ramayana times: 1) Family more important than Kingdom for Bhisma: In the Ramayana, the kingdom of Ayodhya is more important than Raghu-kula, the family that govern it. In the Mahabharata, the Kuru-kula family is more important than the kingdom of Hastinapur it is responsible for. In the Ramayana, Ram, son of King Dashrath, upholds the tradition of the Raghu-kula, goes into exile so that the integrity of the royal family is never questioned and Ayodhya feels secure under its leadership. In the Mahabharata, Bhisma, son of king Shantanu, gives up conjugal life, not for the sake of his kingdom, but so as to satisfy the lust of his father who wishes to marry Satyavati, the ambitious daughter of an ambitious fisherman. 2) Renouncing throne results in Dharma collapse: In the Mahabharata, like Ram, Bhisma gives up his claim to the throne for the benefit of his half-brothers. His half-...