Bhishma and Drona are not only elder to Kauravas and Pandavas, but were also disciples of Guru Parashurama, as Karna was. Bhishma was older disciple of Guru Parashurama, Drona becoming next and finally Karna becoming the disciple, with perhaps 15 - 20 years time gap for each.
Drona always followed Bhishma, as a junior disciple follows the senior disciple of the same Guru, both physically as well as mentally.
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We have to remember that Bhishma was the only surviving direct descendant of King Shantanu by the time the kingdom was divided between Kauravas and Pandavas. It is because Bhishma abdicated his right in the favour of descendants of Satyavati and had become celibate , that first Pandu and later Dhritarashtra had become the kings of Hastinapura.
Thus, Bhishma could not understand the childish tantrums of Duryodhana properly, right from his childhood.
Any child will not become a rogue overnight. A child will throw tantrums before its parents, as children lack mature emotional regulation. If the parents continue to give in to those demands of their child, the child learns to blackmail the parents and intensifies its demands. Thus, in future that child becomes a rogue.
The same is the case with Duryodhana. Dhritarashtra, being blind, could not control Duryodhana out of love. Though Bhishma could control him, yet he preferred to remain silent. During the period under Drona’s control, Karna joined him and continue to fan the hatred towards Pandavas.
Bhishma did not even intervene when the Pandavas were called for the game of dice and thereafter, Duryodhana had become a notorious blackmailer, as Dhritarashtra became a mere puppet in the hands of Duryodhana.
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Being elders in age, and having superior knowledge and skill compared to Karna, Bhishma and Drona knew Karna’s limitations in warfare.
They also knew that Duryodhana’s hatred towards Pandavas had been thriving and growing only because of Karna. If Duryodhana is the fire of hatred, Karna is the wind that gives oxygen to that fire to thrive and grow.
Duryodhana’s blackmailing his father and Bhishma had reached its heights, when he declared that Karna, Dusshasana and himself are sufficient to eliminate Pandavas.
नाहं भवति न द्रोणे नाश्वत्थाम्नि न सञ्जये । न विकर्णे न काम्बोजे न कृपे न च बाह्लिके ॥
सत्यव्रते पुरुमित्रे भूरिश्रवसि वा पुनः । अन्येषु वा तावकेषु भारं कृत्वा समाह्वये ॥
अहं च तात कर्णश्च रणयज्ञं वितत्य वै । युधिष्ठिरं पशुं कृत्वा दीक्षितौ भरतर्षभ ॥
रथो वेदी स्रुवः खड्गो गदा स्रुक्कवचं सदः । चातुर्होत्रं च धुर्या मे शरा दर्भा हविर्यशः ॥
आत्मयज्ञेन नृपते इष्ट्वा वैवस्वतं रणे । विजित्य स्वयमेष्यावो हतामित्रौ श्रिया वृतौ ॥
अहं च तात कर्णश्च भ्राता दुःशासनश्च मे । एते वयं हनिष्यामः पाण्डवान्समरे त्रयः ॥
Duryodhana said, 'I challenge the Pandavas to battle, without depending upon thyself, Drona, or Aswatthaman, or Sanjaya, or Vikarna, or Kamvoja, or Kripa, or Vahlika, or Satyavrata, or Purumitra, or Bhurisravas, or others of thy party.
But, O bull among men, only myself and Karna, O sire, are prepared to celebrate the sacrifice of battle with all the necessary rites, making Yudhishthira the victim. In that sacrifice, my car will be the altar; my sword will be the smaller ladle, my mace, the large one, for pouring libations; my coat of mail will be assembly of spectators; my four steeds will be the officiating priests; my arrows will be the blades of Kusa grass; and fame will be the clarified butter.
O king, performing, in honour of Yama, such a sacrifice in battle, the ingredients of which will all be furnished by ourselves, we will return victoriously covered with glory, after having slain our foes. Three of us, O sire, viz., myself and Karna and my brother Dussasana,--will slay the Pandavas in battle.
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This was not overconfidence on the part of Duryodhana. It was direct blackmailing intended to bring Bhishma to his side. He knew that when once Bhishma falls in line, all others will join him.
Thus, Bhishma and Drona joined Duryodhana’s camp, but gave subtle hint to Duryodhana that Pandavas would win.
Bhishma played his own game of offering Duryodhana an option, before the start of the war, of selecting himself or Karna.
सेनापतिस्त्वहं राजन्समयेनापरेण ते । भविष्यामि यथाकामं तन्मे श्रोतुमिहार्हसि ॥
कर्णो वा युध्यतां पूर्वमहं वा पृथिवीपते । स्पर्धते हि सदात्यर्थं सूतपुत्रो मया रणे ॥
कर्ण उवाच॥
नाहं जीवति गाङ्गेये योत्स्ये राजन्कथञ्चन । हते भीष्मे तु योत्स्यामि सह गाण्डीवधन्वना ॥
There is another way I might consent to lead your forces; I need you to hear this. O ruler of the land, either Karna should fight first, or I will take the lead. The son of the charioteer constantly brags about his battle skills, claiming to measure up to mine.''
" Karna said, 'As long as Ganga's son is alive, O king, I will not fight. Once Bhishma is defeated, I will take on the wielder of Gandiva.'
Duryodhana was in a fix then. And, he was forced to select the elderly Bhishma to Karna, thus Karna did not participate in the first 10 days of war.
So, hatred of Bhishma and Drona towards Karna had emanated from their own fault of surrendering to Duryodhana’s blackmailing tactics.
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