Bhishma vs Parashurama

Dadi: "Beta, do you know what happens when a student has to fight his own teacher?"

Guddu: "Fight his teacher? But Dadi, students should respect their teachers, not fight them!"

Dadi: "You're absolutely right, beta. But sometimes life puts us in impossible situations. This is the story of Bhishma, one of the greatest warriors ever born, and Parashurama, his own guru who taught him everything about warfare."

Guddu: "What made them fight each other, Dadi?"

Dadi: "It all started because of a princess named Amba. You see, Bhishma had taken three princesses - Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika - to marry his half-brother Vichitravirya. But Amba told Bhishma that her heart already belonged to King Salwa."

Guddu: "That was nice of her to be honest!"

Dadi: "It was, beta. And Bhishma was a noble man. He let Amba go back to Salwa. But here's where the tragedy begins - King Salwa rejected her! He said it was shameful to accept a woman who had been in another man's company."

Guddu: "Oh no! That's so unfair! It wasn't Amba's fault!"

Dadi: "Exactly, beta. Poor Amba was stuck. When she came back to Bhishma and asked him to marry her instead, he refused too. You see, Bhishma had taken a terrible vow - he would never marry, ever."

Guddu: "So what did Amba do?"

Dadi: "Burning with anger and humiliation, she wandered through forests until she found Parashurama - the legendary warrior who had defeated kings twenty-one times, and who happened to be Bhishma's own teacher."

Guddu: "Did Parashurama help her?"

Dadi: "He did. He traveled to Kurukshetra and commanded Bhishma to marry Amba. But Bhishma, with folded hands, said something remarkable: "O revered teacher, I am ready to give up my life at your command, but I cannot break my vow. The words I have spoken cannot be taken back.""

Guddu: "That must have made Parashurama very angry!"

Dadi: "Furious, beta! He threatened to kill Bhishma. But before fighting, something beautiful happened. Bhishma noticed his guru was on foot while he was on a chariot. He asked his teacher to also take a chariot so the fight would be fair."

Guddu: "Even when they were about to fight, Bhishma showed respect?"

Dadi: "Yes! And Parashurama blessed him with divine vision. When Bhishma looked again, he saw that the Earth itself was his guru's chariot, the four Vedas were the horses, and the sacred Upanishads were the reins!"

Guddu: "Wow! That's incredible!"

Dadi: "Then Bhishma did something even more touching - he climbed down from his chariot and touched his guru's feet, asking for blessings to protect his dharma and permission to fight. Even in conflict, he never forgot his respect."

Guddu: "Then what happened, Dadi?"

Dadi: "For twenty-three days they battled! Every celestial weapon Bhishma used, Parashurama countered with another. Neither could defeat the other - Parashurama was immortal, and Bhishma had a boon to choose his own death."

Guddu: "So who won?"

Dadi: "Nobody won, beta. That's the beauty of this story. On the twenty-second night, Bhishma's ancestors gave him a weapon that could put Parashurama to sleep on the battlefield. But just as he was about to use it, a divine voice stopped him."

Guddu: "Why?"

Dadi: "Because using it would humiliate his guru. Bhishma held back. At the same time, Parashurama's ancestors also appeared and told him to stop fighting. Both warriors laid down their weapons."

Guddu: "So they both showed restraint?"

Dadi: "Yes! Parashurama was so impressed by his student's honor that he said: "There is no warrior equal to you on earth." They embraced, and the battle ended in a draw - but really, both of them won because neither lost their honor."

Guddu: "What about poor Amba, Dadi?"

Dadi: "Ah, beta. She was so consumed by revenge that she refused Parashurama's advice to seek peace. She performed severe penance and was eventually reborn as Shikhandi, who would play a crucial role in Bhishma's death during the great Kurukshetra war."

Guddu: "What does this story teach us, Dadi?"

Dadi: "Beta, it teaches us that even in conflict, we must never lose our values. Bhishma fought his guru but never stopped respecting him. He could have won with that divine weapon but chose not to humiliate his teacher. True strength isn't just about winning - it's about knowing when to hold back. And true respect for a teacher isn't shown only in obedience, but in maintaining your honor even when you must stand against them."

Guddu: "I'll always remember to respect my teachers, Dadi, even if I disagree with them."

Dadi: "That's my wise little beta. Now, shall I tell you another story?"