In the long history of almost last 5000 years
there has been no equivalent to such a great Householder soul like Krishna in India Mathura Krishna was born, the doors of the jail suddenly
(automatically) opened and was safely shifted to Gokul. It is entirely needless
to probe into this myth for its veracity. But one can easily imagine that when
the jail shackles were all of a sudden got cut asundered at the time of the birth
of this superhuman, how many miserables must have been rescued by him
throughout the lifespan of this divine towering figure! It is so stunning that
this child born in the walls of the prison grows into a savior later in his
life and relieves the entire world from the jail of engulfing unrighteousness
and sins. The baby deprived even of the privileges of his mother's milk right
from the moment he was born, anchored the salvation of innumerable mothers.
Historicity
Historically Krishna
belongs to the end of Dvapara Yuga. The position he occupies and the role he
plays in the great war of Mahabharata is extremely important and significant.
The Mahabharata war itself gave birth to Gita, the divine celestial speech
(Devavani). The Indologists in the light of available historical records and
literary documents, astronomical references (the positions of constellations)
have concluded that the war of Mahabharata broke out on 12th November 3143 B.C,
which means almost 5152 years back. Now any historian or any research worker
should have no doubtor prejudice of any order in this regard. Before the
British Rule in India Krishna lived till the initial few years of Kaliyuga.
Childhood
The Childhood of Krishna was spent in Gokul,
Vrundavan area. The foster parents Nanda - Yashoda nurtured him with great
zeal, love and care. It is said that Nanda had the herds of 10000 cows in his
possession. Even if we consider it to consist only of 1000 cows for a time
being, why should then their beloved son go to others' houses and that too for
stealing and enjoying the butter stolen? Nanda and Yashoda were so pure-hearted
couple that they would have never hesitated and would have easily agreed to
give away their baby-girl to replace and save the sibling of their friend
Vasudeva, so how was it possible that they would allow any bad habits like that
of stealing and telling lies to get inculcated in the exceptional child of
their bosom friend? This is nothing but a utopia or wild imagination of poets
like Surdasa and others, - and factually there is no substance in all such
stories. Granted that there could be some childhood anecdotes associated with
Krishna, natural to the age under the caption Balalila (Childhood
amusements).But these poets and followers went to the extreme by converting
them into Rasalila(amorous youthful sports.) – An act of spiritual distortions
of Krishnalila.
Radha and Gopis
Some poets from rhetoric school and bhakti cult
accepted Lord Krishna as a God, worshiped him, adorned him as blind devotees
and followers on one hand, and on the other the Western scholars and their
self-esteemed, the so called Indian scholars, following their footsteps merely
depicted him in various ways with low level intentions and sensual impulses. Krishna to them was one who played in the group of Gopis
under the sacred name Rasalila, as one stealing the garments of the women, the
one engaged and indulging in youthful activities with the damsel by name Radha,
making uncourteous hideous gestures with dwarfed maiden Kubja.
The
rhetoric school poets wanted to hide their sensual impulses and writings from
the indignation of common people in the society. The blind and self-titled
devotees wanted to escape themselves from the scornful attitude of common man
towards them, their selfish and voluptuous behavior or actions and their
luxurious and lavish life style made under the pretext of divine justification
and conformation. The Western scholars and others belonging to different
religions than that of Hindus, and not to speak of other pseudo scholars wanted
to devaluate and bring down the supreme Indian culture and Indian religion – a
sort of burning example for all. Thus they mutilated the very noble character
of Lord Krishna into an ignoble and scandalous one.
In the whole of Mahabharata, there is no
mention even of the name Radha. We first get glimpses of her, in Gita Govinda
of Jayadeva, in the Bhagvat of Bopadeva, his real brother and also in other
literary description in the works like Brahma Vaivarta Purana, etc. One comes
across in Brahma Vaivarta Purana the illicit love affairs of Radha with Krishna . In the same Purana also many contrary types of
relations are allowed regarding the relations between them. Somewhere she is
depicted as the daughter of Krishna . Some
where she is related as Krishna's aunt (wife of Rayana, brother of Yashoda),
sometimes as his daughter-in-law and sometimes as the sister of Krishna . (If someone hasany doubts, or wants to know any
further details, then all references can be made available).
Noble Character
Bankimchandra
Chattopadyaya, the author of "Anand math" who carried out research on
Mahabharata continuously for about 36 years and also composed thereafter the
biography of Shrikrishna, states that according to Mahabharata Shrikrishna had
only one wife namely Rukhmini - neither
two nor four and of course not at all 16000. According to Mahabharata immediately after getting married
both Rukhmini and Krishna went to
Badrikashrama and led a pious life there for 12 years. They used to sleep on
ground, ate only roots, tubers and fruits and observed strict celibacy.
Thereafter Rukhmini gave birth to the first child named Pradhumna. It is
sheerly disgusting to stigmatize this noble character shown indulging in
love-affairs with and in romance with Radha and Gopis.
Bankimchandraji has stated “Bhagwan Shrikrishna
in all respect was free from all blemishes and was of very pure conduct. Such
an ideal character endowed with all virtues, free from all sins never did exist
and would exist at anytime, anywhere, neither in this country nor anywhere in
the world. He was a multi-faceted, accomplished and pure soul.
(Krishnacharita)." Swami Dayananda states that Shrikrishna was the best of
all the characters in the epic Mahabharata. His qualities, deeds, nature and character all are similar to those
of accomplished persons (apta or siddha), and were simply magnanimous. He never
committed any sin or any impious act right from his birth till his death. hatever aspersions, thrown on Krishna are all just because of Bhagvata only
(Satyarthprakash).
There
is a clear and categorical statement in Maharabhata (Sabha-parva) that in
Indraprastha at the time of Rajsuya yagna, performed by Yudhisthira amongst all
the invitees like hundreds of Kings, Monarchs,
Rishi - Munis and scholars Krishna by all means was considered and reckoned as
the wisest, strongest, most valorous and the most distinguished figure of the
world and was honoured by Agrapuja
(foremost felicitation) and was offered in Arghya(respect) . But behold his
unassuming gentle nature! At the time of yajna, he modestly offered himself to
welcome the Rishi - Munis and scholars by washing their holy feet - the highest
token of selflessness. The real wisdom can be so simple and so modest. He was
just the role - model.
Unfaltering Faith
When Krishna
completed his studies in the Sandeepanee Ashrama at Ujjayani Guru Angiras Ghora
gave him a final instruction: "O Krishna! when you will reach the last
moment of your life, when the death will be knocking at your door, recite the
following sentences" 1) Tvam akshitamasi - Hey Almighty thou art eternal,
non decayable 2) Tvam achyutamasi -Thou art infallible /non-deviating 3) Tvam
prana sanshitamasi - Thou art the minutest and life infusing, similar to the
prana. And the author of Upanishads says that Krishna
was fully contented and appeased on getting this message. There is then no need
of any instruction or advice, as Krishna knew
that one can remember at the last moment only that which one follows or
observes throughout his life.
And
this is exactly why Krishna used to get up
early at 3 am - the Brahma-muhurta (auspicious time) and used to repeat the
Gayatri mantra thousand times. The Author of Mahabharata (the Vyasa Muni)
writes that when Krishna went to Hastinapura
as a messenger of peace, at the sunset, he would stop his chariot, take a
pause, release the horses from chariot and sit for meditation on the way.
During the war, when Abhimanyu was killed, Arjuna was in deep sorrow in the
evening. Krishna was also very much grieved as
Abhimanyu, the only son of his sister Subhadra and his bosom friend Arjuna was
killed. But behold the stable - minded (sthitaprajna i.e. unification of
grasping sustaining and recollecting faculties of knowledge – dhi, dhirti &
smriti) Krishna . He instructs Arjuna to join
him in evening prayers after which they could come back to this issue as well
as the plan for next day's war.
In
Gita, for great happiness and serenity, (Prasannatva) Krishna again and again
invites you toseek shelter and protection of that which is perfect and
unchangeable Almighty, free from the shackles of birth and death, with His
abode in the heart of every being, who controls everybody like the parts of a
machine and bestows us the fruits and rewards of our deeds. He advises us to
pray, repeat and recite Omkar for worshipping that Almighty who is praised by
all Vedashastras and whom all the Rishimuni's try to attain by penance and
austerity. And even when death (Lord Yama) in the form of an arrow of a hunter
(Vyadha), approached and knocked his door, Krishna
was engrossed in meditation of the Almighty. Wasn't it totally and completely
following the last nstructions given to him at the end of his studies by his
Guru.
Opposing injustice
Throughout his life, Krishna kept on awakening and evoking everybody against
injustice. His birth itself is known for breaking off the shackles of jail. Krishna who was born in the filth of injustice kept on
fighting for it throughout his life. Even his childhood was not so easy and comfortable
like other children. On the contrary he grew up bearing all atrocities of
Kansa. Right in the adolescent stage Krishna took some strategic steps like
organizing people from Gokul, Vrindavana and Mathura Krishna
says.
"hato va
prapyasi svargam jitva va bhoksyase mahim"
When and while he was being prevented by the
situation from participating in the war with his arms and weapons he even
accepted to become the charioteer of brave archer (Dhanurdhari) Arjuna only for
ending the injustice. He never wanted to get away from the war against
injustice. To fight against the injustice and profanity and finish it from this
world was the mission and goal of his life. All advices and sermons he laid
down in Gita, every word that he uttered, whether he was talking of Yoga or of stable genius (sthitaprajna),
wisdom, always gave inspiration to fight and propelled them against the
injustice. The perishability of the body, immortality of the soul,
concentration of the mind, and undisturbed equanimity, calm and peaceful
disposition of mind - all was to be described and explained in detail by
Krishna so that Arjun, caught in the bewitching trap and completely at his
wit's end should pick up his arms and pounce upon injustice, otherwise all
these utterances were unnecessary right at the beginning of the war of
Mahabharata, certainly not so important as to attract the attention of an
magnanimous personality like Krishna. Krishna
did not become Lord Krishna just because he was the son of Vasudeva, Devaki or
not even because he was brought up in the riches of Yashoda mata and father
Nanda. He was laid to the position of the Lord because directly or indirectly
his Sudarshana-chakra, (Divine beautiful disc or wheel) his special weapon,
kept on defeating injustice. Years ago a statue of Krishna in stone was found
during the excavation at Gorakhpur
The
whole life of Krishna was like a roaring sound
of a conch. The vow he took for wiping out the profanity and injustice from
this Earth and the establishment of religion and justice instead. There is
always something very special about every eminent personality of the society
and this world. Some of them were the founders of new religion or religion
reformists, some were profound scholars or scientists laying bare the secrets
of nature, some dispellers of ignorance, some were worshippers of gallantry, or
visionary of independence, freedom or even liberty, some unattached Yogi or
some discriminative statesmen, some destroyer of social injustice and some
ardent proponent of justice. But in the history of the whole world, Krishna is the only greatest personality whose character
encompasses together all these diverse ideals. Dear readers, devotees of Krishna , let us take a pledge today, let us make a
resolution that we will not allow even advertently any blemish to defame the
noble life of that spotless, innocent, virtuous and realized soul. Let us
follow the footsteps of theideals of great people. Following are the words of Krishna
yad yad acarati
shresthasthat devetaro janahsa
yat pramam kurute lokas tadanuvartate
This is thus the
preaching of life and the simple solution of finding happiness, peace and
prosperity in life.
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