VOW NOT BROKEN

The reasons for Sri Krishna rushing to attack Bhisma were that with his fierce warfare  he was causing havoc in the Pandav army and more importantly Arjuna's repeated reluctancy to strike his grand father.  Sri krishna's decision to attack Bhisma and to kill him brings us to the debate about his promise.

Many question the reason as to why would krishna break his promise which he made before the battle about not raising weapons and not actively fighting?
It's a relevant question and needs to be answered by remembering Sri Krshna's original promise in fact his eternal promise and his eternal occupation.   
All the devatas along with mother Bhumi approached Brahma about the troubles caused by the demons disguised as rulers, Brahma in turn approached Sri Krishna who promised to appear in this world to set things right.  Krishna appeared and started to establish dharma, by eliminating the demons or eliminating their rebellion.

Bhisma was not a demon in fact he was one of the most ardent devotee of Sri Krishna but Bhishma had chosen to fight on behalf of the Kaurvas, who were the last remaining burdens on earth.
Sri Krishna had a choice to break his eternal wow or his temporary vow. 

Which vow would we ask Him to follow the real or the apparent? 

The superficial people challenge him for breaking the apparent but the substantial people eulogise him for keeping his eternal promise.

What are we looking for the substance or the shadow?
What kind of questions are we raising the integral ones or the isolated ones? Therefore the very Bhisma seeing Sri Krishna strike at him dropped every thing, all his weapons and requested Sri Krishna to release him from his superficial commitment and allow him to follow the real commitment of being an instrument in the hands of God rather than in the hands of Duryodhana.
Therefore Bhishma who was eventually struck by Arjuna kept on remembering Sri Krishna rushing at him during the battle at the time of death and he wanted this event to stay forever in his very existence. 
Why so?
Because Bhisma knew Sri Krishna's eternal vow of liberating the bound and liberating the affected and tormented.
For this Sri Krishna the lord of all life chose to protect his original vow and not his temperory vow.

CLASH OF CIVILIZATION

The Ramayana shows us an artificial Lanka, a natural Kishkinda and a cultural Ayodhya and many other civilizations in between.

Lanka was very organized with man made systems and resources stolen from everywhere.
Within Lanka was the dictatorial Ravana. He while breaking all the laws himself expected complete subordination from his subjects.
This subordination was driven by fear and laws were imposed by brutal force. Hence there was an unnatural orderliness.

In Kishkindha Vali was powerful but not as brutal as Ravana. The vanaras  had the same habit as their king Vali. The subjects of kishkindha were  powerful and sensual but not brutal . Of course with the exception of Hanumana and Jambhavanta. They were untouched by such culture.

Ayodhya was a land of culture, the citizens and the royalty were responsible for each other.
Rules here were followed by inspiration not by imposition.
The legal system was in existence but it was more of a moral system which was self inspired. 
None of the people wanted Sri Rama to go to the forest, but he chose to go respecting his father's promise to Kaikeyi.
Sri Rama did not want Sita to go the forest, but she insisted on going with him. Laxmana was not even asked to go to the forest and he  had no moral or legal obligation to go to the forest.. On the contrary Laxmana convinced Sri Rama by quoting  what Sri Rama  had said at the time of his own coronation that Laxmana would enjoy the prosperity with Sri Rama and now Laxmana chose the path  to go along with Sri Ram as Sri Rama's grace. 

Bharata was legally the future king, but he tried his best to bring back Sri Rama and when he failed he chose to install the wooden shoes of Sri Rama on the throne and performed similar austerities as Sri Rama was performing in the forest.
He chose this out of his own free will.

We can settle wherever we want to.
In the legal system of Lanka, the Vanara system of Kishkindha with a free life and legal binding and  less moral binding or we can chose to live in Ayodhya with self inspired rules. What  do we want?

FORGOTTEN HEROINE-----URMILA

In modern times the human mind tries to uncover what the authors of an epic may have over looked. Urmila is one of the unsung heroines of the Ramayana. She has been completely overlooked by Valmiki and many have accused the writer of doing injustice to Urmila and other ladies.

It is important to understand the foundational principle from the characters of Ramayana and the compiler himself rather than trying to be sympathetic to some one and spoil the taste of Ramayana.
For eg:- whilst cooking all the hard labor of the farmer who grows the different ingredients used in making the delicacy is not seen .Most of the times the host is glorified  rather than the cook so what to speak of the harvester, the farmer.
The farmer remains unnoticed all his life producing what he is meant to produce.The theme of the Ramayana is  that some characters are noticed and others remain unnoticed but both perform unlimited sacrifice.
This is the core theme of the Ramayana, Urmila remains unnoticed but never makes an issue.
Why? Because she is happy serving, being in service is her pleasure and recognition is immaterial .

Valmiki muni is a sensitive author and entertwines different characters according to the mood and plot of the story.
The underlying principle of the Ramayana is that sacrifice is sacrifice it is made with or without  recognition.
Like the farmer is not even remembered while enjoying the high quality food.
Do we ever think of them while eating?
Do we ever glorify them for producing good quality?
Seldom, is it not?
But without them food is not there.

Life moves on with so many sacrifices which are completely unnoticed but the sacrifice is sacrifice. A person with substance does not sacrifice with the intentions of being recognized. If he is glorified he feels dirty. For them sacrifice is a great privilege, and recognition is nothing but a by product.

Let us not tamper with the sensitive Valmiki and silent Urmila who did everything to make their sacrifice since time and immemorial.
A perspective other than this one is not the substance of Ramayana. It is a hollow and shallow imagination of the selfish and small mindedness of non-Ramayana. 

COMPASSION AND QUALIFICATION

Do we need to be compassionate only if we have resources?  The Ramayana sometimes may indicate this to us.
Sugriva was extremely hesitant in accepting Vibhishana as their ally, fearing that he might harm Sri Rama and Laxmana. Sugriva  was arguing and warning Sri Rama of the dangerous consequences.
Sri Rama was unmoved and made it clear to every one saying " I can trample the entire world what to speak of Vibhishana, with one of my little finger."
No one could dare abuse Sri Rama's kind heartedness, if they tried then he was competent enough.
Sri Rama had the ability, courage and unlimited power to take the risk of being compassionate to Vibhshana without fearing about the consequences.
Sri Rama had practicality in his compassion. Similarly Sri Krishna had compassion in his practicality too.
When Sri Krishna came as peace maker and the attempt failed the fate was sealed and war broke out.
Sri Krishna advised Karna to join the  Pandavas till Bhisma was living.  Since Bhisma and Karna had decided not to fight simultaneously till one of them was alive .
Sri Krishna was hoping to use Karna for breaking the confidence of the Kuravas, and at the same giving an opportunity to Karna to render some tangible service to dharma.
Karna declined the golden opportunity.
Whether one is qualified like Sri Rama to be compassionate to Vibhishana or Sri Krishna being practical towards Karna the foundational principle is the same.
It is an integral part of life rather than conflicting. Ordinarily our compassion is abused and attacked and our practicality lacks the  trace of humanness.
But the great Sri Rama and Sri Krishna  teach us eternal life lessons .
Are we learning?

HANUMANA THE LIFE GIVER

When Meghanath, the son of Ravana attacked the army of Sri Rama with the weapon of Brahmastra the  monkey army was reduced by one sixth. Some of the monkey chieftains survived even though attacked by this weapon. When Vibhishana, regained consciousness, he asked Jambhavana are you alright?  Jambhavana responded by raising a question whether Hanumana was living are not? 
Vibhishana was surprised  and asked Jambhavana, why was he not asking about Sri Rama or Laxmana's safety?  Jambhavana answered ,
" if Hanumana is alive then every one can be revived, but if Hanumana is gone we have no hope. "
Jambhavana's confidence in Hanumana is fascinating. One who was equally powerful in the past but currently was reduced to being less powerful had no regrets about being less powerful. He had the heart to find  some one who was better than him. Even in his unconscious conscious stage, Jambhavana was discerning about whose living will bring life .

Eventually Hanumana went to the north and brought the medicinal herb to revive one and all, but it was Jambhavana whose confidence in Hanumana played a key role in Hanumana  getting the medicinal  herb.

The victory of Sri Rama over Ravana is the story  of many  stalwarts pushing the potential warrior to take the lions of credit to benefit Sri Rama while they remained in the background seeing them perform the Herculean  task.
Certainly we celebrate Hanumana's glory, but we are silently also grateful to Jambhavana in steering Hanumana by reminding and boosting him about his valour.

Jai Hanumana and Jai Jambhavana.