Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Mahabharata, what is not in it, is nowhere!

Walkout


Walkouts are daily affairs nowadays. You see walkouts at Parliament, at General assemblies, even in party meetings. Generally opposition stage walkouts. They are there to oppose as the name suggest. If you are against some policies or if some issues are not discussed, if some people are not given the permission to talk they stage walkout. Some times walkout happens in the same party. If they don’t agree with the party or some persons the same party men stage walkout
So walkouts are most common nonviolent protest. There is a reference to walkout in Mahabharata also.
Occasion: Rajasuya performed by Yudhishthira. As per the custom, the Pandavas invited the other kings after the slaying of Jarasandha and performed the Rajasuya. Time came for doing honours of the occasion. The custom was to render first honour to the guest who was considered most worthy of taking precedence over all others.
The question arose as to who should be honored first. Bhisma and Yudhishthira's choice was Sri Krishna, the king of Dwaraka.
Yudhishthira followed the advice and under his instructions Sahadeva offered to Sri Krishna the honors enjoined by tradition. Sisupala, the king of Chedi, who hated Krishna, could not tolerate it. Sisupala after protesting rose from his seat and walked out calling upon the other kings to join him in resenting the insult. Many of them followed him.
And the tradition continues walkouts also.

(To be continued..)

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