This particular episode is a veritable aisle of fridges
Fridge Brilliance
- When Ganga reminds Bhishma that “someone has to drink the poison”, she is referring to Hindu Mythology’s Creation Myth - the churning of the sea to produce the Nectar of Immortality. The gods used Adishesh the divine serpent to churn the sea, and the process caused him to spew out his venom. This venom would have killed all the gods, since they hadn’t attained immortality yet. Before this could happen, Shiva drank all that poison as a Heroic Sacrifice, but his wife Parvati tied a tourniquet around his neck to prevent the poison from spreading to the rest of his body note . This event is often referred to in Indian culture to motivate someone to take on an unpleasant endeavor.
Fridge Horror
- This episode drives the point home that the upcoming discord among the Pandavas and Kauravas is all Satyavati’s fault. While Dhritharashtra’s resentment and ambition is the prime mover, that resentment came about because Satyavati couldn’t wait for one year for Vyasa to make himself presentable. Dhritharashtra was the blind firstborn because Satyavati sent Ambika first, and she shut her eyes. His status as the firstborn made him entitled to the throne, but his blindness kept him from it. Now, Hastinapur will suffer because of that mishap, and Satyavati will not be able to handle it.
- Ambaalika and Ambika must also leave, because they too bear some responsibility for what is to come. After all, Ambika shut her eyes and weaseled out of trying one more time with Vyasa. Ambaalika shares a lot less blame, because her going pale with fright was a physiological reaction that she had little control over, and Pandu’s pallor was not responsible for his abdication and death. But she too weaseled out of trying a second time, which is why some blame must fall on her.
- Bhishma also wants to leave with Satyavati, Ambaalika and Ambika, presumably to become a sanyasi and end his life. But Vyasa disallows him, stating that the kingdom may look secure now, but it won’t be secure in the future. So he must face that situation head on. And he also has a debt to repay - Amba has to be the reason he dies, presumably by taking the opposite side of him in the coming conflict.
- Bhishma is found later, complaining about Dhritharashtra. This means he knows what is in store for him - he has to be killed by those who will righteously oppose Dhritharashtra. Him wanting to go with Vyasa and become a sanyasi was him trying to weasel out of his role in the upcoming conflict.
