Satyaki: Settling old scores with powerful rivals could be apocalyptic
Updated: Sep 18, 2022
Blog #30
Are you so opinionated that you think less of those whose choices you disagree with?
Do you hold old grudges and remain resentful waiting for a chance to settle scores?
Will you remain bitter and wait years to find a chance to settle scores?
What price are you willing to pay to defeat your rival?
Are you willing to lay down your life in order to satisfy your ego?
What if the price you extract is mutual destruction or an apocalypse?
The Mahabharata Context
Satyaki was an extremely powerful Yadava warrior who fought under the flag of Lord Krishna himself. A magnificent archer who had an old familial grudge with his old rival King Bhurisravas, Satyaki waited knowing the time to settle scores could come soon . Before the decisive battle at Kurukshetra starts, Lord Krishna gives a pyrrhic choice to Prince Arjuna and Prince Duryodhana to choose between himself (as an unarmed charioteer) and his powerful Yadava army, Prince Arjuna chooses Lord Krishna as his unarmed charioteer. Satyaki disagrees with Lord Krishna's order to serve the Kaurava army and breaks away to join Prince Arjuna and the Pandava army. Unlike him, his fellow yadava warrior, Kritavarma follows Lord Krishna's orders and dutifully joins the Kauravas .
During the war, Satyaki finds his old rival Bhurisravas and fights a bitter, hard battle and is almost beheaded by him before Prince Arjuna intervenes and saves his life. Immediately Satyaki proceeds to heartlessly slaughter the defeated, helpless King Bhurisravas, much to the dismay of the Pandava army. Further, Kritavarma's choice to follow divine orders and fight under the flag of Prince Duryodhana infuriates him. Satyaki engages in many bitter fights with Kritavarma but neither prevails and both are among the few survivors of the Kurukshetra war.
In the last phase of the great epic, in a time of peace, both Satyaki and Kritavarma under the influence of alcohol go at each other again and this time find apocalyptic weapons to finally completely destroy the entire Yadava clan in the city of Dwaraka. Lord Krishna himself, lays down his lifeform, completes his avatar and returns back to heaven.
Our Null Hypothesis of the Satyaki person
Satyaki is brave, fearless, honest, intelligent and a person of high integrity. He holds himself to a high standard of morals and values. But he is prone to anger and arrogance and looks down upon those who, despite having the same values, make different choices. He holds deep grudges and lacks compassion and an ability to forgive and forget. With his many warrior attributes, Satyaki is a great friend but a lethal adversary. His need to settle old scores and prove himself right ends in the destruction of the entire Yadava clan.
Lessons Learned
Could we avoid apocalypse if we forget old grudges and move on for the sake of peace?
Could we avoid apocalypse if we were humble and acknowledged our inability to control the tug of war between good and evil?
Could we avoid apocalypse if we respect the choices of others who despite similar values to us, make different choices than we do?
Could we avoid apocalypse if we don't take it upon ourselves to settle old disagreements with harsh words and eventually violence?
Could we avoid apocalypse if we had faith in divinity and perhaps left it to God to intercede for the victory of the good?
Could we?
What % of King Satyaki do you have in you?